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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29241702">Dragonlords</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/vtedy1/pseuds/vtedy1'>vtedy1</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, M/M, Will add more characters as I go - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 01:13:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>39,338</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29241702</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/vtedy1/pseuds/vtedy1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Joffrey was still himself but had more of Cersei in him than plain madness? What if he was trueborn and not a bastard and had a dragon, Sheepstealer, to prove it? And what if Jon also had a dragon of his own, the mighty Cannibal. Come and see how much trouble two dragon riders can get up to in Essos and afterward in the wars of Westeros.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Catelyn Stark/Ned Stark, Cersei Lannister/Jaime Lannister, Joffrey Baratheon/Jon Snow, Robert Baratheon/Cersei Lannister</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 1</p>
<p>The visit of the royal family was all everyone at Winterfell could talk about. The stocks were checked and rechecked. The yard was cleared out as much as it could be cleared out. Everyone was happy even though the main reason for the visit was the death of the former hand, Jon Arryn.</p>
<p>Nothing could have prepared the people of Winterfell for what happened as the king arrived. They were all lined up to greet him and his entourage and just as the king got through the main gate a roar was heard from the north.</p>
<p>Everyone, the king included, stopped what they were doing to find the source of this disturbance. The roar was followed by another fiercer one and soon the clap of wings was heard.</p>
<p>The eyes of every one were staring at the sky. Where two giant dragons were roaring and nipping at each other’s wings. King Robert was shouting for his warhammer and people were falling to their knees in prayer to whomever deity they worshiped.</p>
<p>At last, the bigger of the dragons landed just outside the gate while the smaller one circled prince Joffrey’s horse and spooked the animal into running outside of the castle where it was once again spooked by the bigger dragon.</p>
<p>The big black mass opened its green eyes and was about to devour both the horse and its rider when the smaller mud brown dragon sloped in and put himself between his brethren and the prince.</p>
<p>Said prince was in an absolute panic. He tried to regain control over his beast but the horse bucked and threw him off. It tried to race towards an opening between the dragons but the big black one turned his head and ate it while it was still alive. The whole creature fitting in his maul.</p>
<p>Joffrey crawled on his hands and knees away from the black dragon until he felt something leathery behind him. It was the brown dragon from earlier. He made to look into its dark eyes and saw some sort of recognition in them. Something told Joffrey to get behind the brown dragon least he became the dinner of the black one and he for once in his life did the sensible thing and began climbing on the wings of the brown dragon, trying to get on its back.</p>
<p>The black one must have lost his patience once he figured out he wasn’t getting a second meal and he moved towards the gates of Winterfell. With a whip of his tail, he made the ancient gates crumble. The giant dragon snarled up at everyone until his attention was focused on the bastard of Winterfell. The dragon put his muzzle in front of the boy and gave him a few sniffs and then he pushed him gently with his head.</p>
<p>Jon watched with more than a little fear as the crown prince had made it on the back of the brown dragon and now that he was not on the menu for the black one then it must be Jon himself that was being considered. He didn’t want to die a coward so he gripped one of the many horns on the black dragon and snarled back at it.</p>
<p>He received a snarl back but the dragon lowered himself to the ground and without thinking, Jon mounted its back and the black beast took off in the air. The brown one, not to be shown up, also took to the skies and began nipping at the bigger dragon’s tail.</p>
<p>This continued for quite a while, that is until the people of Winterfell regained their bearings. The king was the first to shout at the two dragon riders.</p>
<p>“Down, you shits! Your king commands you! Explain yourselves or it will be both of your dragon spawn heads rolling tonight!”</p>
<p>The Queen tried to pull the king to the side and speak some sense in him but he backhanded her right in front of everyone else. Joffrey saw that and maneuvered his dragon to land right in front of the king. Joffrey felt strong then, as he dismounted and helped his mother up. With a dragon at his back, he no longer feared his father. Still, he left his defense to his mother.</p>
<p>“You call your son a dragon spawn? Have you forgotten that the first Baratheon was a Targaryen bastard? That your grandmother was a Targaryen princess? If Joffrey is dragon spawn then it is because of you!”</p>
<p>Joffrey looked up and saw that the other dragon was landing next to his own. He noted with pride that his smaller brown one wasn’t intimidated by the larger monstrosity of a dragon. The northerner dismounted his dragon and went towards the Stark family with his head held down. Joffrey’s father rounded on him as well.</p>
<p>“Joffrey can be explained! But what of your bastard, Ned? Who is his mother? To the seven hells with you if you tell me the lie about your Dornish whore!”</p>
<p>Joffrey looked at how the northerner was becoming angrier at his king. Would it be patricide if he just stood by and let his father be eaten alive by a dragon? Probably. His mother once again intervened, proving once and for all that she would have made a better king than a queen.</p>
<p>“There are two dragons right next to you and you threaten their riders and their families, Robert? Let us get inside, hold a small council, and figure out what to do!”</p>
<p>Robert Baratheon grumbled but agreed. Both Joffrey and Jon, as Joffrey later found out was the bastard’s name, were invited. Provided that they got the dragons out of the keep.</p>
<p>Joffrey noticed that he was much more confident with his beast than Jon. But then again Jon’s black beast was almost twice the size of the brown one and didn’t follow orders easily. Still, it let Jon back on its back and flew outside of the gates and remained there as if held by the mere command to stay. Joffrey left his dragon near the black one. Just in case someone tried to do something to his now favorite beast.</p>
<p>The prince and bastard walked side by side to the great hall where on the high table were seated the King and Queen as well as lord and lady Stark. Everyone else was sent away and the two young men felt like this was their judgment.</p>
<p>Robert filled himself a goblet with wine, drank it in full, and then loudly set it down. Lord Stark looked like he was about to be lynched but he began to speak all the same.</p>
<p>“Jon, I think it is time to tell you about your mother. She was my sister, Lyanna. You are Rhaegar Targaryen’s son and trueborn. Now that you have a dragon I know you will be protected. I beg of you, for the sake of the realm and its stability, go east. Don’t let another dance of dragons begin.”</p>
<p>Joffrey stared at the northerner with displeasure. The things he could do with a single dragon were many. But the things that he could do with two were practically limitless. He needed to keep Jon in Westeros and on his side. Marry him off to Myrcella or do as his mother did when she needed new allies. Better have Jon completely in his clutches rather than give Myrcella any sway over the bigger of the two dragons.</p>
<p>Jon nodded to his uncle’s words and was about to head outside when Joffrey gripped him by the arm.</p>
<p>“Go east? What for? Our dragons seem to get along just fine and you don’t want a crown anyway, do you?”</p>
<p>For the first time, ever Jon starred at Joffrey and he thought to himself how good it would be to be allowed to stay in Westeros. What was he going to do in Essos? Fight in the disputed lands until some lucky archer got him off of his dragon and then what? But here in Westeros, he could do some good. He could explore the realm on the back of his dragon. Offer his services to local lords and earn an honest living.</p>
<p>Jon sends his father a pleading look but then made the mistake of looking at Robert Baratheon’s face. It was almost purple from how angry the king was.</p>
<p>“Boy!” The king spat at Joffrey. “You are not to make decisions instead of me! An exile is better than death and the magisters would pay handsomely for a dragon guard. One more word and you will be sent east yourself!”</p>
<p>Joffrey took a good look at his father. The father that whored and shamed his mother at every opportunity. Robert didn’t have much left to live anyway. And it would be exciting to see the world on dragon back. Without hesitation, Joffrey faced his father.</p>
<p>“Then to the east, I will go. But mark my words, father. I will return and take your throne when you finally pass away from this world. Let us go, Jon, Essos awaits.” </p>
<p>Without much care, Joffrey grabbed his stunned fellow dragon rider by the arm and all but dragged him outside and towards the dragons. They were both princes, from different dynasties, but still equal. Now the important part was to wrap Jon around his finger. To ensure his undying loyalty.</p>
<p>Jon didn’t provide any resistance. He let himself be lead outside and towards the dragons. All the while Joffrey was speaking to him about how they were going to conquer Essos with their dragons.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 2</p>
<p>Much to Jon’s surprise, it was Lady Stark who arranged for the dragons to be given cattle and sheep respectively. She also arranged for all of Jon’s things to be packed by the servants but Jon went and just took the most essential things he needed.</p>
<p>His savings from his allowance. Some of his lighter clothes as he knew he was going to be going east to warmer climates. His castle forged sword, his bow, now more vital than anything as he would be doing his fighting on dragon back.</p>
<p>And with all this strapped to his back, he went from door to door in the family wing to say his goodbyes. Arya was the one who had cried and raged the most at his departure. Sansa hadn’t known how to react now that he was a prince and her cousin instead of her bastard brother. The best she had given him was a stiff hug and a handkerchief with a direwolf.</p>
<p>He was followed by Ghost as he said his goodbyes to Robb, Bran, and Rickon who were all practicing their archery in the yard. He had given them all a ride on Cannibal’s back. It was old maester Luwin who had told them the name of the two dragons.</p>
<p>The big black one could only be the Cannibal as he had green eyes and his body was covered in spikes. He looked big enough to have dated back to the days of the Dance of Dragons. The other one had given his name away as he kept stealing sheep from the pens and his coloring gave him away also.</p>
<p>Joffrey had grumbled some about how his dragon couldn’t be legendary like Jon’s but after a few rides on its back, he had lavished it with praise and given it as many of Winterfell’s sheep it wanted. Sheepstealer had thanked him by curling around him like a giant cat and scaring everyone from approaching the crown prince.</p>
<p>Joffrey saw his siblings eyeing the dragon-like they wanted one themselves and he relished at the feeling of once again taking the best for himself. The biggest surprise was when Joffrey’s uncle Tyrion had approached Sheepstealer with a whole platter filled with mutton and began to feed the docile and overfed beast.</p>
<p>His uncle looked so happy that it made Joffrey nervous. Was he going to go to the east by himself and with a rival prince? Lannister gold stretched far but Joffrey didn’t have any sway over his grandfather. And the support of the Old Lion wouldn’t come cheap. His uncle Tyrion was another matter altogether.</p>
<p>He needed more people on his side if he wanted to keep his position as crown prince. Approaching his uncle was easy. Sheepstealer never showed Joffrey any aggression and seemed to be the tamer of the two dragons. Without giving himself the chance to doubt himself Joffrey put a hand on his uncle’s shoulders.</p>
<p>“Uncle, would you like to ride Sheepstealer with me? Just around Winterfell.”</p>
<p>Tyrion beamed at him and nodded. Hastily putting the last of the cooked mutton chops in the maul of the dragon and cleaning his hands in his breeches.</p>
<p>“Do I? Of course I want to ride him! But you will have to help me on its back, nephew.”</p>
<p>And Joffrey did. His uncle was light as a child and it wasn’t hard to get him in front of Joffrey. The prince tried to command the dragon but it wouldn’t budge. It wasn’t until Tyrion said the Valyrian word for “flight” that the dragon finally took off.</p>
<p>Tyrion laughed like a mad man and Joffrey had to be very careful not to drop him as Sheepstealer made loops around the castle. Cannibal looked at them from the ground with interest and was about to join them in the skies when a small figure approached him and forced him to stay back.</p>
<p>Joffrey was very grateful to the Targaryen then. If Sheepstealer’s playful mannerism was taken as a challenge by the bigger Cannibal the big black mass of muscle might just earn his name again.</p>
<p>Tyrion was obvious to the danger and kept pushing the spikes of the dragon this way and that to make him turn and do flips in the air. Finally, Joffrey was tired of it all and he didn’t want to keep giving the crowd that was gathered below a show so he made the dragon land and carefully dismounted and then took his still laughing uncle off of the beast’s back.</p>
<p>Joffrey left Tyrion to speak at a lazy Sheepstealer and went towards Cannibal and Jon. The brooding Targaryen had a pack with all of his things and was ready to depart. His whole family was near him and giving him sad goodbyes. Joffrey’s own family was missing only his father, who was probably drinking himself under the table at the thought he had produced a “dragon spawn”.</p>
<p>Cersei was the one to go to her son first. She ran a hand through Joffrey’s hair and kissed him on the brow. Then she inclined her head towards her brother, Jaime.</p>
<p>“You are still a crown prince, my love. No matter what your father says. It is only right for you to go into the world with a Kingsguard by your side. Your father and I spoke and we both agreed that your uncle Jaime would be the best choice to protect you. It pains me to be separated from you both but needs must.”</p>
<p>Joffrey was about to start jumping with joy. His uncle was the best swordsman there was. Sure there was guilt written all over his face every time he would look at Jon Targaryen but other than that Joffrey was sure that if things came to blows uncle Jaime would take his side.</p>
<p>“Thank you, mother.” Said Joffrey kissing the back of her hand. “I will make you proud, I swear. Not even Aegon the Conqueror will take as much land as I will. Together with Jon and with uncle Jaime at my side I will take on the whole world for the glory of houses Baratheon and Lannister!”</p>
<p>His little speech had gotten the attention of the Starks and he saw Lord Eddard berate his nephew not to go along with everything the crown prince said or did. As if Joffrey was going to let that sink. Much to Joffrey’s surprise his uncle Tyrion tugged at his sleeves.</p>
<p>“And I am coming with you, nephew. You need an advisor if you ever hope to keep whatever is it that you conquer with your dragon. And if you want to keep your head since what you are planning for the Targaryen is so obvious you are making your mother proud by just the way you act. I will not take no for an answer. Now help me back on Sheepstealer’s back. I have a plan but if the king gets wind of it here not even your dragon will save you.”</p>
<p>Joffrey was intrigued as he saw his Uncle Jaime approach the former bastard and introduce himself. If Joffrey was going to go with Tyrion on his dragon’s back then Jon could take one for the team and carry Uncle Jaime.</p>
<p>Without so much as a goodbye to his siblings, who looked relieved to see him gone, he helped his uncle Tyrion back on Sheepstealer’s back and mounted the dragon himself. Remembering the word for flight he said it loudly and the dragon was back in the skies.</p>
<p>Not too long after Cannibal also rouses from the ground and Joffrey noticed with great satisfaction that it was carrying his uncle as well as Jon. Tyrion was the one to lead Sheepstealer.</p>
<p>By the time they reached Moat Cailin it was nightfall and the garrison, as meager as it was, let them stay in the wreck of a tower. Joffrey had refused to be separated from his dragon and so Jaime and Tyrion too had to stay by Sheepstealer’s side. Jon, not wanting to be left alone, remained with them as Cannibal wrapped himself around the tower.</p>
<p>Tyrion cleared his through to get everyone’s attention and pulled a map of the known world from his bag. He unfolded it and addressed Joffrey directly.</p>
<p>“While Westeros will be yours one day, especially now that you have a dragon on your beck and call, we can’t rule out the possibility for further conquest. The Stepstones are no one’s land but if we organize the pirates to only attack those we want then the profit would be unimaginable.”</p>
<p>Joffrey laughed at the suggestion. Negotiate with pirates when he could simply kill them all off with a couple of flights of his dragon sounded silly. He told his uncle as much but his opposition came from Jon.</p>
<p>“If we are to burn everyone we don’t like just like the mad king then we will end up like him too. Why not take the Stepstones for ourselves and make the pirates our vassals instead?”</p>
<p>Joffrey didn’t like being contradicted. Not one bit. But Jon was the one with the larger dragon and even if he commanded his uncle Jaime to kill the Targaryen prince there was no telling what Cannibal would do once riderless. So he thought about the two suggestions and came up with a third one.  </p>
<p>“The last time someone tried to conquer the Stepstones it was the rogue prince. He only had one dragon. With two it will be easy to put the pirates in line. But we will need a loyal house to manage the conquered lands so we can move further towards Essos. I suggest house Valeryon.”</p>
<p>Tyrion looked at his nephew like he had grown a couple of new heads.</p>
<p>“Have you forgotten, nephew, that the Valeryons are under the rule of your uncle Stannis? Any deal we make with them will have to go through him and he will not let his bannermen just make deals behind his back. Dragons or no dragons.”</p>
<p>Joffrey looked to Jon for help and the northerner gave it.</p>
<p>“House Valeryon stands to win much from this deal. A cut to lord Stannis could be arranged. And if not then the dragons will scare him. But we can’t make plans here. We need to speak to the Valeryons and soon. Both Cannibal and Sheepstealer need to eat large portions of meat daily and if we don’t supply them they will go hunting on their own and then we might never see them again.”</p>
<p>Throughout the whole exchange, Jaime remained silent. With only two dragons and no army to back them these two boys were having big dreams. At least they were getting along better than expected. Joffrey was even hiding his usually bratty self and thinking things through.</p>
<p>As far as Jaime was concerned the best man to do negotiations with the Valeryons would be Jon as the house was still full with Targaryen loyalists. Much was spoken of during the night. Of how they could make their way to Driftmark. Of what sort of supplies Joffrey’s coins could buy them, as Cersei had given her firstborn a generous allowance to make up for Robert’s reaction.</p>
<p>Later the two dragon riders retired to sleep next to Sheepstealer, as he was still on the ground. The dragon was warm and even threw a wing over them while their other traveling companions had to make do with a campfire. No one bothered with assigning a night watch. Who was going to attack two dragons anyway?</p>
<p>The next morning came soon and they mounted the dragons once again. They flew until they reached The Twins. No one wanted to deal with the Frey house but the dragons and their riders were both thirsty and hungry so they needed to purchase food from somewhere and as they hadn’t had luck with finding Greywater watch from the skies The Twins it was.</p>
<p>Lord Walder had thrown a feast in their honor and fed their beasts but asked nothing in return. Tyrion was puzzled at that and so, after taking bread and salt, asked the old lord directly.</p>
<p>“My lord Frey your hospitality is great. But with what have we deserved it?”</p>
<p>The laugh of the old man gritted on the nerves of everyone. Without words, he pointed at a table where his many daughters and granddaughters were lined up.</p>
<p>“Lord Tyrion, you ask me why when you can see that I have three eligible bachelors in my hall and enough womenfolk to drown them in. Princes and lord take your pick of my kin. I am sure that they will give you many a dragon rider.”</p>
<p>Jon caught in his sleeve and Joffrey looked livid. The only thing he wanted to do to these women was to put a crossbow bolt through them. And he didn’t like how they were eyeing Jon either. A wife can easily influence the northerner to turn against Joffrey. This couldn’t happen. As for his uncle, he was welcome to take his pick. There were a few pretty ones but the majority would suit him well.</p>
<p>As the crown prince was about to cause a scene his uncle Jaime interfered.</p>
<p>“My lord Frey, brokering marriages is not the business of the young but rather of their parents and head of houses. Joffrey can only marry with the agreement of our good king Robert. Tyrion can’t do a thing without the agreement of my father, Tywin Lannister. And as for young Jon here his head of the house is somewhere in Essos. Should you find him you are free to broker any marriage with Viserys, if you are fast then maybe you can even find him before our king’s hired swords.”</p>
<p>Walder Frey made a face at this but then a smile graced his face. He clapped his hands together and food and drink were brought over for everyone.</p>
<p>“You can’t blame a man for trying his luck, Kingslayer. Eat now and be merry. But if I catch even a single one of you with one of my womenfolk I will marry you to her faster than a dragon can open its eyes.”</p>
<p>The feast was merry and the women constantly levitated around Jon. Being a former bastard he was much more humble and didn’t outright ignore the women. He was invited to many dances and spend the night on the dance floor with different Frey women while Joffrey sat in his chair and glowered at anyone who so much as approached him.</p>
<p>This couldn’t stand. Jon was too easily influenced by womanly charms. Or by charm in general as he saw a Frey man, who looked less weasely than his brethren talk with Jon for most of the night. Now, what will his mother do in this situation?</p>
<p>Become angry and ignore the indiscretion. But Joffrey wasn’t his mother and he won’t stand for this. He wasn’t handing a Frey nobody a dragon rider on a silver platter. He stood up and went to Jon and tugged him by the arm away from the handsome Frey.</p>
<p>“We need to check on the dragons.” Was the prince’s excuse. “They might not have been fed well. Or not watered enough. And we are sleeping near them. I don’t trust that no Frey woman will try and get into our chambers in the night. I don’t want to be saddled with a weasel, do you?”</p>
<p>Jon stopped in his tracks and Joffrey stopped with him. Jon looked positively insulted and he spoke his mind.</p>
<p>“So what if the women here are from house Frey? You might have been raised a prince but I have raised a bastard. There are plenty of comely ones among them. There is this girl, they call her Fair Walda, and she is like an angel. She didn’t ask me about Cannibal once. We spoke about horse riding and she told me much about the surrounding villages. What would be the harm if I marry her after I have conquered myself some land?”</p>
<p>Joffrey wanted to slap the northerner. But then he would be punched back, so he refrained. How was he to explain to this dullard that their dragons would be easy pickings if they were separated? Now how was it that his mother got her way with his father when he was incredibly stubborn? If only he knew. But what he had in mind might work too.</p>
<p>“You are right that you were raised a bastard but you aren’t and have never been one. So take it from one prince to another: Princes marry for politics. And Walder Frey doesn’t have a dowry big enough for the privilege of having a dragon rider join his house. You will end up his attack dog and then there will be war in Westeros and all because fair Walda paid you some attention. Now let us go to the dragons. I don’t trust the Freys with them.”</p>
<p>Jon stared at Joffrey but conceded that he had the right of it. While Jon had been allowed to participate in all of Robb’s lessons this particular one had never been very important to him. Still, he wanted to choose who he married. And once he took some land in Essos for himself he would do just that.</p>
<p>The dragons were sleeping curled around each other outside of The Twins. Joffrey pulled Jon down with him on the ground and used the big beast’s bodies as a sort of a makeshift bed. When Jon asked him why they had to rough it up when chambers were offered to them Joffrey was quick to reply.</p>
<p>“Because our dragons are our greatest assets. You don’t leave your armies in the mud and hide in a castle. Or at least that’s what my grandfather Tywin keeps telling me. Your grandfather would have probably yelled at you for even thinking of allowing the family treasures to be unguarded.”</p>
<p>With that Joffrey loaded his crossbow and turned his back to Jon, ready to sleep at last. Jon mulled over these words for quite some time. The dragons were whole armies, it was true. And they needed to be protected just as much as Joffrey and he needed protecting. But then if that was so why hadn’t Joffrey asked his uncle Jaime to come to help them guard the dragons?</p>
<p>Unsheathing his sword he turned around and pressed his back to the crown prince’s back. That way if one of them moved then the other would surely know. Needless to say, they both fell asleep and the dragons ended up guarding themselves.   </p>
<p>The next morning they were given food to break their fast and told to leave in the most polite manner possible. As lord Walder hadn’t even managed to catch Tyrion in bed with one of his daughters.</p>
<p>From there they followed the Green Fork to castle Darry where they received mixed welcomes. On the one hand, a Targaryen was visiting them on top of a dragon. On the other, a Baratheon was also visiting them on top of a dragon. For lord Raymun just seeing the dragons was enough to open his gates wide and introduce the two princes to his son Lyman.</p>
<p>Who was given a ride on Cannibal as Joffrey was too busy negotiating for enough cattle and sheep to feed the two dragons. His mother had given him plenty of money but by the way things were going his funds will run out soon. Thankfully house Darry was still Targaryen loyalists so they handed over the livestock for free.</p>
<p>This time Joffrey waited just long enough for the two great beasts to be fed and pulled Jon aside and told him they weren’t staying at the keep but were going directly to Dragonstone next.</p>
<p>Once again the company of four mounted the now fed dragons and it was up to Tyrion to lead them as he was the only one with enough knowledge to get them to Dragonstone.</p>
<p>Stannis Baratheon didn’t expect them when they landed. He didn’t hold a feast for them but rather reminded them they were exiles and as such shouldn’t darken the gates of lords and ladies while on Westeros.</p>
<p>As usual, it was left to Tyrion to negotiate.</p>
<p>“Lord Baratheon, we are not here as beggars. We wish to speak with one of your vassals. With your permission, of course.”</p>
<p>“Which vassals?” Snapped lord Stannis at them. He just knew this would cost him greatly. All of his vassals were still hiding Targaryen banners in their castles and that was why his brother had dumped him in this no good castle. If word got out he was supporting the efforts of the two dragon riders to do whatever it was they wanted to do then his brother might think it treason and take away Dragonstone from him.</p>
<p>Not that Stannis would miss it overly much. What he wanted was Storm’s End. It had been his by birthright. If only Renly hadn’t stolen it away by the virtue of being too young to fail their brother in any way. The lord was broken out of his musings when the dwarf addressed him again.</p>
<p>“The Valyreons of Driftmark, my lord. We wish to do what the rouge prince couldn’t and end the reign of pirates in the Stepstones.”</p>
<p>Stannis’ brows furrowed and he took a sip from his goblet of wine. Why should he miss this opportunity and let it go to the damn sea horses? No, he will hold trade in the Narrow Sea if he managed to get to rule the Stepstones in the name of his nephew and his dragon spawn accomplice.</p>
<p>“I will not be cut off from such a sweet deal. I know precisely what you four wish. To eradicate the pirates and move in settlers. But you will need a firm hand for this to happen and the Valyreons simply don’t have what you want. Instead, I will saddle myself with the task of putting things right there. But your dragons better pull through because if I see even one pirate when I land with the first settlers I will bring you four to justice. My type of justice. You have one month.”</p>
<p>With that, the four were unceremoniously kicked out of the castle and were mounting their dragons with haste. One month was nothing. Nothing short of burning the whole Stepstones to ash could achieve what Stannis wanted of them.</p>
<p>From Dragonstone they flew to Tarth where the welcome was long enough for a good night’s rest and the feeding of their beasts. Again it was for free as Joffrey was their liege’s son. But the closer they got to the Stepstones the colder the welcomes became.</p>
<p>House Estermont didn’t welcome them at all saying that they recognized neither Jon nor Joffrey as princes of anything. With a lot of effort, Tyrion maneuvered Sheepstealer to Tyrosh instead where people lavished them with gifts, and much to their shame to raise funds for the war to come both Joffrey and Jon gave rides to wealthy nobles at the backs of their dragons.</p>
<p>Once they had enough gold to hire a free company they stopped. It was the golden company itself that came to them and not they to it. With the promise that there will be land for them to settle in the Stepstones and even more after they had finished the wars the company gave them its price and Tyrion, who kept any money they owned, paid in full.</p>
<p>And while the Golden Company was preparing their ships for the journey Jon and Joffrey had taken to burning every pirate ship they could find. At first, Jon hadn’t wanted to, as there was no telling if there were innocent people on board. But then Joffrey had explained to him just what exactly dear old uncle Stannis meant by justice and how not even two dragons would stop him from taking their heads for the failed deal.</p>
<p>There were no further protests after this. The pirates began to hide into the islands and Jon and Joffrey kept burning their empty ships until there were none left. Sure there were trees aplenty on the islands but without shipbuilders and the proper infrastructure, the loss of the pirates was felt strongly.</p>
<p>That was where the Golden Company came in. Without any ships to use to flee the pirates were being butchered by the dozens by the elite sellswords. Before long the Stepstones were cleaned from everything that even remotely represented a pirate. Only the slaves and the natives remained and both were equally scared by the two dragon riders and when lord Stannis finally arrived it came as a sort of calming presence to the masses.</p>
<p>Lord Baratheon came with settlers from Dragonstone. Tools for farming and building as well as much livestock he could put on his ships. Both Jon and Joffrey were grateful for this as they had to feed their dragons in Tyrosh where they had become like some sort of a circus act.</p>
<p>Joffrey had, at one point, suggested they just feed the dead men to Cannibal and Sheepstealer but Jon had told him calmly that if their dragons became man-eaters there would be no controlling them. That dimmed Joffrey’s happiness a little. He had become accustomed to Jon agreeing with him on everything and he liked that about the northerner very much.</p>
<p>Still, he couldn’t deny that Jon had a point. It was bad enough now when Joffrey had to stop Sheepstealer from randomly attacking flocks of sheep but what if he had to stop him from attacking groups of people? Not that he would mourn them or anything but compare to Sheepstealer Joffrey himself was very killable and as such had to take responsibility for his dragon’s action just as Jon took responsibility and paid for any missing cattle which was eaten by Cannibal.</p>
<p>The sun was shining bright as Joffrey and Jon were arguing where to strike next now that everything was in order at the Stepstones. Joffrey wanted the Disputed lands all to himself. But Jon wouldn’t have any of it.</p>
<p>“It was thanks to Tyrosh that we even had enough money to start this campaign and now you want to stab them in the back? Where will we find new allies? No, it is better if we hit Pentos. It is a rich city and we can offer them protection from the horse lords. We can govern it in name and burn the opposition. If we control both the trade route through here and over at Pentos we can monopolize the trade from King’s Landing as well as Dorne. Much better than to have three of Valyria’s daughters against us!”</p>
<p>Joffrey balled his fists and was about to make a retort on how he wanted all three of the cities too and not just the Disputed Lands when his uncle Stannis walked to them. He took one look at them, took their map away, and tore it to shreds.</p>
<p>“You two haven’t conquered anything and yet you set your sights on new land? You are going to stay and govern this place, you donkeys! I did my part of the deal. You have settlers, materials, and food supply which when managed properly it can last you for years. Now I am going back to Dragonstone and increasing my trade deals with Tyrosh, Lys, and Myr and so help me if you two let pirates back in this lands!”</p>
<p>Joffrey and Jon both looked gaping at the retreating back of Stannis Baratheon. They hadn’t conquered anything? There wasn’t a single pirate in the entire Stepstones left and there were no pirate ships either. Joffrey shook Jon’s shoulders until Jon looked at him.</p>
<p>“What are we going to do now, Targaryen? We promised the Golden Company lands and riches. If we give them to them we will have nothing left for the natives and they will return to piracy and then uncle Stannis will treat us like pirates. He is going to cut our hands off!”</p>
<p>Jon pointed at himself and his face became even more pale than usual.</p>
<p>“We can’t move the dragons away because then the pirates that have survived will make their ships and it will be just as you said. We need to pay the Golden Company some other way. Do you think they will take plain gold? I have been receiving invitations from Lys for dragon riders. We can make insane coin there. But if we both leave…”</p>
<p>They sat down amidst the shredded map and gripped their hair. Stannis was fiercer than them. Fiercer than even their dragons. And that was mostly since he would charge against them if he felt cheated. Then Joffrey jumped up and down happily which made Jon question his friend’s sanity.</p>
<p>“I have it all figured out, Jon. We remain here with the dragons and we resell the Golden Company to fight in the Disputed Lands. We can always tell them that we need time to ready the land of the Stepstones for them. Build the castles, towns, and villages. Start breading programs for the livestock. All things they shouldn’t be bothered with until it is their turn to become lords in these lands. But as our vassals. If we are to put so much work into something then uncle Stannis will remain with his trade rights.”</p>
<p>“And how are we going to defend these lands if the Golden Company ends up dead in the Disputed Lands? We can’t let this happen!”</p>
<p>Joffrey wanted to put a crossbow through Jon, but Cannibal turned his green eyes towards him and the thought went straight out of the way. What to do? Disband the Golden Company and do what with it? There were so many things he could do with a small army. He could guard the borders. He could put down rebellions. And why should he give lordships to those who had barely done anything? Jon was right that they needed the Golden Company. But Joffrey also knew that he was right that they didn’t need it. Not in its current state.</p>
<p>“We will make the Golden Company our standing army, Jon! Just imagine how well we can protect our lands and sea trade routes from everyone if we had an army that answered to us and us alone! Almost like having another dragon.”</p>
<p>Jon remained silent for a while and then he smiled. Now Joffrey knew he had him. But then Jon said something that surprised him.</p>
<p>“Why stop at having our vassals and a standing army when we can have an official kingdom. The Kingdom of the Stepstones. It was done before, true, but we can make it work. Only one question remains: who is to be king of this new kingdom?”</p>
<p>Joffrey pointed at himself without hesitation. Jon would remain next to him even if he didn’t have a title of his own because these islands were now as much his responsibility as Joffrey’s. Jon chuckled and made a bow. Went to a nearby willow tree. Tore out one of its branches and made it into a circled. He then put it on Joffrey’s head and said.</p>
<p>“King Joffrey I Baratheon of the Stepstones, may you remember this day as the one you saddled yourself with enough paperwork to make these islands bare. For I will not.”</p>
<p>Then it hit Joffrey why Jon was so happy. Paperwork can’t be delegated to a small council if there was no small council to speak of! And he will need a lot of parchment pushing if he wanted to make these bare islands into a respectable country. And if these islands weren’t a respectable country then he would be poor and laughed at king. Well, he was having none of it!</p>
<p>He went to the same willow tree and cut off a branch with his knife. He made a circled just like the one he wore and dumped it on Jon’s head.</p>
<p>“Well, King Jon I Targaryen of the Stepstones it is too late to run away from responsibility now that the kingdom was formed at your behest. You are going to be reading and putting your seal on as many pieces of parchment as I will! No, even more, as you will be integrating the Golden Company into its new role!”</p>
<p>They then both burst into laughter. Two kings in a small island archipelago. Their relative would be popping blood vessels at the thought alone.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, in King’s Landing exactly three days after the coronation of the two kings, King Robert was all but fuming at the mouth as Cersei read with great concern.</p>
<p>“If they are both kings then does that mean…” Began the Queen but the King stopped her from saying anything with a roar.</p>
<p>“I’ll tell you what it means, woman! The dragon spawns have decided to keep it in the family! And they stole a region that should be rightfully returned to Dorne! Now, what do I tell Doran? Sorry, my prince, but my son and the son of the woman your sister died because of decided to elope and make themselves a new kingdom. They might decide they need more land soon. But what can you do? Have you seen their dragons? No? Then know you are in the shitter with the rest of us and be quiet! Someone bring me more wine!”</p>
<p>Cersei’s expression soured. She had been a little put off at first when the proof that Joffrey, her firstborn and pride, had been Robert’s, but she had put the blame surely on herself and didn’t let any of her rage show. Now Joffrey and that Targaryen had tied the knot without even inviting her or any of the Starks. She was going to write her Joffrey a strongly worded letter. She stood up and left her husband to his drinking.</p>
<p>She had given the swine a golden son, despite the prophecy of the witch. And he had earned his crown, well not by himself, but still. And Baratheon had the nerve to be displeased and to allow his brother to extort the new kingdom of his only legitimate child. This simply couldn’t stand.</p>
<p>Cersei entered her apartments and wrote a letter first to Joffrey to berate him for not inviting her to the wedding. Then another to her father so he could support his grandson.</p>
<p>In Winterfell, the situation had been much different. Everyone was in shock. Except for Theon who made jokes about Jon and his kingship. Lady Stark looked shamed that she still thought of Jon as a danger to her children. Now even more so that he had a dragon.</p>
<p>Ned put the letter proclaiming the coronation down with a heavy sight. A Baratheon had finally caught himself a Stark, sort of. And no one was happy. Least of all him. He knew that after he had lied to the boy for most of his life he couldn’t expect him to trust him with everything like he used to. But to not even be invited to his nephew’s wedding was too severe a punishment.</p>
<p>He, much like Cersei, wrote a letter. His being more apologetic than wrathful and gave it to the maester to send.</p>
<p>As for Stannis, he raged for hours before admitting that there was nothing to be done against two fully grown dragons and the Golden Company. Which was now renamed the Golden Guard. But the donkeys hadn’t invited him to the wedding. He, who made it all possible.</p>
<p> Another letter was added to the ever-growing pile for the two very confused kings of the Stepstones who had no idea how to explain to everyone that they weren’t married but merely ruled together.           </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 3</p>
<p>The very first project that the two kings began with was making canalization. It was hard, the islands being densely forested and there not being even a single village on the whole Stepstones. But it had to be done and here the two of them were, as whole areas were deforested.</p>
<p>Jon had been helping the workers cut down the trees which made him a favorite among them. Joffrey had begged off manual labor with the pretense that someone needed to keep watch with the dragons in case someone attacked them. Then his uncle Tyrion had called his laziness for what it was and had arranged for Sheepstealer to transport lumber near the seashore.</p>
<p>His dragon was made into a pack mule and Joffrey grumbled at that. He didn’t need to tie up the lumber or even tie it to the dragon but he still needed to fly from one point to another. The lumber would be used for houses later on and it was stockpiled on the beach.</p>
<p>Jon, unlike him, took to the work with a good cheer. The more he worked the happier the natives and settlers were becoming. Of their new two kings, Jon was their favorite as he was swinging an ax all day long. The day finished far too fast and Jon made his way to the tent he and Joffrey shared. There was another one right next to theirs for Tyrion and Jaime.</p>
<p>Jon looked happy but exhausted and wasn’t prepared for the conversation that waited for him in the tent. There was a bath already prepared in there but Joffrey was in it and monopolizing it for himself. That irked Jon a little. The crown prince’s work had been much lighter than his own in comparison. Just how sweaty could he have gotten?</p>
<p>“Are you going to sit in the tub all night, your Grace?”</p>
<p>Some of the irritation that Jon felt must have slipped into his voice because Joffrey splashed some water at him.</p>
<p>“It’s your fault that we don’t have two tubs, Jon. So you are going to wait your turn. If you have only asked your uncle for some supplies then we could be better off. And don’t you point any fingers at me. It was thanks to my mother we even have this tub.”</p>
<p>Jon grumbled and went to the washing basin to at least wash his hands and face. A wedding gift from the Valyrions. He would have explained to them that there was no wedding but then they would have taken the silver necessity away and then they would be left with clay pots. And Joffrey liked breaking the pots for Jon to agree to use some of their money for nicer things.</p>
<p>Joffrey would have melted the washing basin too if it didn’t have more Baratheon and Lannister motives on it than Targaryen. As he was washing his face Jon contemplated whenever it would be better if he just took a bath in the sea. Better than wait Joffrey and all of his preening.</p>
<p>“Jon, make yourself useful and come wash my back. It’s killing me from the whole day of flight. With the lumber that you could have just as easily carried yourself.”</p>
<p>Jon now understood why King Robert was drunk all the time. If this was how the Queen behaved then he understood and pitied the murderer of his father fully. Grabbing a bar of soap he went and began washing and massaging Joffrey’s back. The sooner the golden brat felt like he has washed the sooner Jon will be able to take a bath himself.</p>
<p>Joffrey leaned in and gave out something between a moan and a chuckle. Had Jon known that being a king on these islands meant being a manservant he would have flown to The Disputed Lands to fight for Tyrosh! Jon lost track of time and was surprised when Joffrey tapped his hands with his finger.</p>
<p>“That is enough. Thank you, your Grace. You are a treasure as always. Now rinse me and the tub is all yours.”</p>
<p>And so Jon did. In the beginning, when it became apparent that Joffrey couldn’t even put on his clothes without assistance Jon had made the fatal mistake of taking pity on him. And since they were both distrustful with servants Jon and Joffrey had both agreed to help each other out and not employ any servants until their rule was secured.</p>
<p>Which meant that Jon cooked, for Joffrey could make a poison even out of boiled water. Jon picked who had access to their clothes and did the washing for them since even back at Winterfell he hadn’t been made to do it himself and now that he had a dragon he would be damned if he washed Joffrey’s clothes because Old and new Gods forbid Joffrey’s delicate hands saw any labor.</p>
<p>Jon did everything a wife would normally do and that didn’t help him put down the rumors that he and Joffrey were married. He had received a letter from fair Walda recently telling him off for leading her on. He didn’t respond to it.</p>
<p>Instead of brooding even more he rinsed Joffrey and gave him a robe to cover himself with as he slowly began to get the tub out of the tent. He emptied it far enough that no one was going to get to sleep on a wetland. He washed it with some saltwater and brought it back to the tent where the warm water waited for him. One thing that Joffrey liked to do was boss around those nearest to them to do tasks and then write them off as his goodwill. Jon had been grateful the first time it happened but afterward, he got wind of what was happening and grumbled but decided to just let it slide.</p>
<p>They were both, for better or for worse, kings. Not some shipwrecked ruffians. If Joffrey had it in himself to command then Jon would let him. Since he didn’t even like ordering the washerwomen to do their laundry.</p>
<p>Joffrey laid on the bed munching on a golden apple. The Tyrells had gifted them caravans of the stuff to carry favor. It turned out that they had a daughter around Jon and Joffrey’s age who wanted a crown and the Tyrells weren’t bothered by Jon and Joffrey’s supposed marriage. Stating that Aegon the Conqueror had himself two wives and surely King Joffrey would want an heir should the two dragons produce dragon eggs?</p>
<p>So far the most attention Cannibal had given Sheepstealer was along the lines of whenever or not to eat him. But the lords and ladies of Westeros were a hopeful bunch and Joffrey loved leading them on. And Joffrey gave the Tyrell preposition good thinking through.</p>
<p>Jon would still be by his side and since they looked so different it would be easy to say which child was whose. But for Joffrey to give his blessings to the union with the Tyrells he needed to trap Jon with something. He was not a woman but he had watched and learned from his mother, who, when his father was sober, was always successful in getting what she wanted.</p>
<p>Joffrey put the apple down on a tray and moved to Jon who had made himself comfortable in the tub. Unceremoniously Joffrey took the soap from Jon’s hands and began washing the northerner’s back for him. As he massaged and washed away the grime that had accumulated from the whole day of ax-wielding Joffrey began to talk.</p>
<p>“You know, Jon, everyone thinks we are married. And we share a tent. You cook our meals and order around our servants. So, I have been thinking. Why not make it official? Anyone else who wants to get close to us would just be wanting to steal our dragons or the Stepstones. What do you say?”</p>
<p>Jon looked like someone had slapped him. Was he hearing right? He made to grab the bar of soap from Joffrey as suddenly his touches were less innocent than they had been before. But Joffrey wiggled his arm out of reach and went inside of the tub, silk robe and all, and began to apply the soap to Jon’s chest.</p>
<p>No, for the good of their tub Jon was going to be on pack mule duty with him tomorrow. It didn’t suit a king to have this much dirt on him. They would need another bath after this one or Joffrey was simply not letting them in bed.</p>
<p>“I’d say you have grown mad. We are both men. Neither the Old Gods nor the new allow for such a marriage! And we barely know each other as it is.”</p>
<p>Joffrey smirked and lowered the soap down Jon’s abdomen and near his groin. He could be charming when he needed to. And if he let Jon slip now the Tyrell girl or even fair Walda will grab him and Cannibal alongside him.</p>
<p>“We can always marry in Valyrian fashion. At least we are not brothers. My father keeps a drunken priest of the Lord of Light in his court. We can ask him to marry us. Come now, your Grace, say yes.”</p>
<p>Jon stood there as the soap got even lower and he all but jumped out of the tub as he felt it on his groin. But Joffrey reached out a hand and studied him back. Good job, Baratheon, the blonde thought to himself. Now you have him spooked.</p>
<p>What to do? Keep washing him? Well, as long as he continued then Jon will remain silent and listen to what he had to say.</p>
<p>“Jon, where are you going to find someone like me? I come with my dragon and the crown of the seven kingdoms. We can always get ourselves a Queen to share. It would be easy to guess which child is whose. Black hair, yours. Blonde or lighter hair, mine. It is the sweetest deal anyone can ever offer you. And we get to keep our dragons together.”</p>
<p>Joffrey began to massage Jon’s hips with the soap and the water was getting positively muddy. He should have made Jon wash from the grime in the sea beforehand. But his last words must have affected Jon as his gray eyes snapped towards Joffrey’s green ones.</p>
<p>“Is that all you care about? The dragons? Why can’t we both get married to whomever we want and remain allies? Marry some of our children off when they come of age and live happy lives?”</p>
<p>Joffrey took out Jon’s foot and massaged it while he hummed low in his throat.</p>
<p>“I think it could work for the first couple of decades. But then there will be two houses on the Stepstones with dragons. And there will be another dance of dragons too, that is if Cannibal doesn’t eat all the other dragons after you die. No, I have given it all much thought and the only solution for us is to get married. There might still be a dance along the way, mind you, but it will be so further away from our time that it wouldn’t matter.”</p>
<p>The foot was put back into the water and the other one was taken out to be given the same treatment. Joffrey always liked it when his feet were massaged. And since there were no trustworthy servants yet he would be the one doing the task for Jon. He found himself not minding it all too much when it came to Jon as the Targaryen had the habit of giving him all he wanted when content.</p>
<p>“No.” Continued Joffrey with all the certainty of someone who was going to get what he wanted. “The problem is not whatever we marry but rather under which name. Mine is the ruling dynasty but you get so many presents from Targaryen loyalists that it makes me wonder. Are you going to add something to this discussion or are you going to keep gaping like a fish?”</p>
<p>Jon knew he was being buttered up right now. And he enjoyed his foot massage very much. However, he just couldn’t agree so fast. Not when he knew he would be giving away his soul to Joffrey if he let him dictate the rules.</p>
<p>“How about you earn this marriage if you can, Joffrey? I have a dragon too and you can’t just boss me around. I have the right to marry whomever I wish. What makes you so sure that I even want to marry a man?”</p>
<p>Joffrey stood up and Jon with him. Together they carried the dirty tub outside, emptied it in silence, and gave it a good rinse. When they returned there was more warm water for them and they got back into the tub to wash up for good.</p>
<p>Joffrey thought hard about how to “earn” this marriage. He had been a crown prince all his life and he didn’t know that the possibility of being overlooked even existed. He would have to curb his desires or redirect them somehow. He had felt pure bliss as he killed the pirates. But now he was itching for another war. The sooner they began to make towns and villages here the sooner he could leave them to his uncle Tyrion to manage. But Jon would take all this for laziness. And he wouldn’t like it.</p>
<p>They finished cleaning themselves and got in new robes. A black and red one with the Targaryen sigil for Jon and a red and gold one with the lion of Lannister for Joffrey. Yet again another gift from Joffrey’s mother.</p>
<p>Joffrey laid back into the bed and waited for Jon to get on it too. Jon did so reluctantly but turned his back to Joffrey. The Baratheon snuggled up to Jon and wrapped his hands around his hips. Then he whispered in his ear.</p>
<p>“What makes you think I can’t earn us being married? Why don’t you turn around and let me show you just how good it could be.”</p>
<p>Jon stiffened in Joffrey’s arms. He slowly turned around and pushed Joffrey away from him a little.</p>
<p>“You want to own me, not love me. And while marriage for you might be just a means to an end I grew up with different understandings. Now be so kind as to go to your side of the bed.”</p>
<p>Joffrey wanted to scream and rage but gritted his teeth instead. So what if Jon was right? He would feed any cunt that so much as looked Jon’s way to Sheepstealer. He untangled himself from Jon and began to think about how to win him over.</p>
<p>Heirs were not a pressing matter right now. Securing Cannibal was. With just Sheepstealer maybe he could keep the control of the former Golden Company but with Cannibal everyone felt much more secure. Knowing that no one will attack the islands with two dragons.</p>
<p>Jon wanted for Joffrey to act more like a good king? Then Joffrey would fake it if he needed it. He would continue to be a pack mule for the timber and he would keep hiding all the love letters addressed to Jon.</p>
<p>Joffrey tried to sleep but couldn’t. He got up and got dressed and noted that Jon was sleeping peacefully. Sure, Joffrey’s sash wasn’t well put on but he wasn’t going to wake Jon over something so insignificant.</p>
<p>Instead, he went to his uncle’s tent and found both Lannister awake and staring at the map of the archipelago. He joined them and pointed at the closest island to Tyrosh.</p>
<p>“Uncles, I think this island would be the best one for capital. Tyrosh has been a good allay for us and Dorne is too hostile a neighbor. What I propose is all of the other islands be made into fortresses with triple walls. We have enough money for this purpose.”</p>
<p>Tyrion looked at Joffrey as if he doubted that the words came from his nephew’s mouth. This was not like Joffrey at all.</p>
<p>“Is this idea coming from you, nephew, or did you discuss it with Jon first? It is a good one. I don’t claim otherwise. But maybe speak with your…consort on this before you put it into action.”</p>
<p>Joffrey snapped back at his uncle and Sheepstealer gave out a distant roar.</p>
<p>“Would you have asked Jon if he had run this through me first? I am a king, uncle. I deserve to make decisions by myself!”</p>
<p>Sheepstealer’s roars became louder and Joffrey became even angrier. What did the lizard want now? He exited the tent only to find Jon awake and tending to Cannibal, who, in turn, was snapping at Sheepstealer.</p>
<p>“I don’t know what made you so angry, Joffrey. Nor do I care. But calm down your dragon a little before it picks a fight with Cannibal.”</p>
<p>Joffrey went to Sheepstealer and began to pet his snout. It served to make him calmer and Jon had managed to reign in Cannibal thanks to it as well. Then a much calmer Joffrey turned towards Jon.</p>
<p>“It seems I need your permission on all matters of state. Come to uncle Tyrion’s tent. We need to talk.”</p>
<p>Jon was reluctant to leave the two dragons but they each picked a corner to roast and so he went.</p>
<p>Once inside the tent, Joffrey repeated his suggestion and Jon nodded along to it. He didn’t understand why anyone would say no to it since it was a sound one. Joffrey gave him an unreadable look when Jon agreed to all of the plans. He did, however, add that they could use Cannibal to transport stone from Westeros for the foundations of the castle and that they needed more workers with experience in making them.</p>
<p>Joffrey said he would write to his mother for the men needed and then went to wake up some workers so that they could begin to load Sheepstealer with lumber. Jon was almost surprised at how easily his fellow king would get back to work without any coaching.</p>
<p>While the workers were preparing the timber Joffrey wrote a letter to his mother requesting all that was needed. They still had plenty of money left from collecting the pirate’s treasures and all the performances they had done so money wouldn’t be a problem.</p>
<p>This day Jon also transported lumber with his dragon to Joffrey’s insistence that they needed the place deforested as soon as possible so they could begin digging for the pipes that were going to come from Tyrosh any day now.</p>
<p>With both of them working on clearing the timber the settlers and natives began digging. Of them, only Tyrion had any knowledge about how to make a canalization of a whole town and so the task was left to him.</p>
<p>It took them months to get the whole system ready. And each day Joffrey would try his best to seduce Jon in bed with him. He had begun to bring him breakfast in bed. Through him, languages, as the representatives of the Free Cities wanted to work together with them and not individually.</p>
<p>The first shipments of stone had gone to building a small keep so that the two kings wouldn’t need to sleep in a tent anymore. Joffrey had whined until Jon had agreed to share a room with him.</p>
<p>The more days past the more Joffrey allowed himself. He would cuddle up to Jon at night and ignore any protests coming from the northerner. He would wake him up with a kiss on the cheek each morning. And he would always get into the bathtub with his fellow king.</p>
<p>And Jon was human, darn it. He noticed all that and how Joffrey had let his hair grow to his shoulders. It looked like a mane with its soft curls and made Joffrey even better looking than he had been before.</p>
<p>He was being worn thin by Joffrey’s efforts and on the day houses started springing up near the keep Jon finally admitted that they had done good work. And this was just one of the islands. No one dared to attack them and so the newly named Dragon’s port became a stopping point for many ships and the taxes Tyrion came up with began to fill their coffers nicely.</p>
<p>So what was the harm in giving Joffrey what he wanted? Their dragons had begun to curl around each other and not much longer after the port city was finished Cannibal produced a clutch of eggs. Joffrey had been overjoyed but wasn’t allowed anywhere near the eggs without Jon.</p>
<p>The eggs further proved to Joffrey that he needed Jon. And maybe a Queen consort to have little dragon riders. Joffrey flew to Lannisport and had a golden ring made especially for Jon. If subtle attempts hadn’t worked then he was going to shove his wants in Jon’s face.</p>
<p>The waves were smashing themselves on the rocks of the beach and Joffrey found Jon sitting by the dragons. He moved with quiet steps to him and Jon didn’t see him coming. Nor did he felt anything as Joffrey put his hands on Jon’s eyes and began whispering in his ear.</p>
<p>“Your Grace, we need to talk. Seriously now. Our first island no longer needs us and we can begin the building of the capital. But before that, I have a present for you.”</p>
<p>Joffrey put the ring in Jon’s hands and waited for the northerner to catch on to what was happening. Jon twirled the gold band in his hand. It had dragon motives on the one side and antlers on the other. What Joffrey was offering him had become sweeter and sweeter the more time he spends with him. So, why not just give in and avoid a battle between Sheepstealer and Cannibal?</p>
<p>Jon put the ring on his finger and Joffrey embraced him with a smile that spelled doom for everyone.  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 4</p>
<p>The invitation to a wedding to his nephew with the son of the usurper was crumbled in his hands and a cup was thrown towards the wall. How dared that bastard not ask him for permission first? Not that he would have given it, but still.</p>
<p>Dany was overjoyed that they were also invited but Viserys thought of it as a ploy to have them delivered to the usurper. And ever since his drunken incident where he had threatened his sister with a sword in the horse lord’s capital Viserys was sure that she didn’t care about him anymore.</p>
<p>Sure, she had let him stay as the molten gold had harmlessly dripped down his hair but what if he didn’t have Valyrian magic in him? He would be dead and she would have simply watched on. The cow.</p>
<p>Dany butted heads with Drogo and him at every opportunity. They needed slaves to sell for ships but she claimed all the women and children for herself. And Drogo had let her as she was pregnant with his child and had managed to hatch her three petrified dragon eggs by cutting herself every night for months and bleeding on them. She had forced Viserys to do the same if he wanted the protection of the Khalasar.</p>
<p>For the dragon eggs to be hatched however Dany had agreed to burn people alive. Dothraki who hadn’t respected her order for the women to be left alone until they were sold. Of the three dragons, no bigger than cats, the cream and gold one stuck to Viserys’s shoulders while the two others remained at Dany’s side.</p>
<p> The Green and bronze one laying around his sister’s big stomach at every opportunity. And the black and biggest one rode on her shoulders and sometimes perched on Drogo’s shoulders as well. Which gave the Khal great satisfaction.</p>
<p>Dany named all three dragons as she felt they were her children. Viserys’ was named Viserion. The big black one was Drogon and the green one was Rhaegal. Viserys had thought more than once to simply run off with his dragon but then where will he go? He didn’t have an army and he depended on Drogo to feed Viserion every day.</p>
<p>Just to see the usurper’s angry face he conceded and decided to go along with Dany and Drogo to the wedding. Just the three of them and select few servants as Drogo’s blood riders would remain behind to keep peace in the Khalasar.</p>
<p>Viserys smirked at Drogo as for the time being Drogon was perched on Dany’s shoulders. Once his dragon was fully grown he wouldn’t need his sister or her savage husband. But until then he needed to pick his fights. So he arranged for some good clothes to be brought to him and boarded the ship on his way to the Dragon’s port.</p>
<p>It took them a fortnight for the ship to carry them and Viserys had to admit that not a single pirate had tried to bother them on the way. They were greeted by the sight of two giant dragons roasting and it made Viserys feel jealous. He needed to take care of his small dragon while his nephew had gotten a fully grown one. One that could lay eggs too. Where will the newly hatched dragons go? Viserys was the first to admit that a second dragon wouldn’t go amiss.</p>
<p>A curly haired northerner was waiting for them at the docks. Next to him was a blonde decked in red and gold. Viserys presumed that the northerner was his nephew and the blonde shit next to him the usurper’s son. Viserys was the first to disembark and the northerner surprised him by enveloping him in a tight hug.</p>
<p>Viserys uncomfortably patted him on the back. His nephew was the sentiment sort. This was good. Maybe he could wrap him around his finger and gain the allegiance of the fully grown Cannibal that way. His nephew released him and took a good look at him.</p>
<p>“I welcome you in the Stepstones, uncle Viserys. I am thankful that you decided to come to my wedding despite the danger you are potentially bringing yourself in by being here. Is this your dragon, uncle? How is it called?”</p>
<p>Viserys was quick to give a reply, proud as he was that he had a dragon of his own. Albeit it not being bigger than a cat.</p>
<p>“This is Viserion, nephew. Not as grand as your Cannibal but perhaps one day he will reach the same level of strength. And think nothing of me coming here. You gave your word for a safe-conduct and I trust in you and your dragon to deliver it.”</p>
<p>And just like that Viserys was passed over for Dany. She received an embrace just like the one given to Viserys, albeit a gentler one. His nephew being considerate of her big stomach. Drogo clapped Jon on the back for the warm welcome given and said something in his language that, if judged by the warmth in his voice, showed he was glad his wife was well received.</p>
<p>“Aunt Daenerys, welcome to the Stepstones as well. Both you and your husband will receive bread and salt just like uncle and will always be welcomed here on the archipelago. Let me introduce you to my fiancé, Joffrey Baratheon.”</p>
<p>With a smooth gesture Jon showed his aunt Joffrey who gave her a nod of acknowledgment and received a slap on the back from the Khal himself. Drogo began to speak again and this time Daenerys translated.</p>
<p>“My husband wants you both to know he welcomes you into the family and brings you gifts worthy of Khals such as yourselves. And I want to say that I have never received a warmer welcome. For which I thank you, nephews.”</p>
<p>They were all escorted to the main building in Dragon’s port. The still being build palace. Its alter walls were already done, and so were their portcullis. But of the seven planned towers only four were already done as shipments of stone were being delayed.</p>
<p>Viserys found out they were being hosted in the family wing of the royal tower. He finally felt appreciated and so he didn’t even make a snide remark towards the Baratheon. The feast that awaited them already had people gathering around the tables and sitting on benches.</p>
<p>The Tyrell rose was put next to the Baratheon stag and lion banner of the crownlands. Underneath that banner was sited the usurper who was getting himself as drunk as possible under the watchful and disapproving gaze of a beautiful middle-aged woman, probably the Queen.</p>
<p>His nephew was quick to sit the three of them on the table with the Targaryen banner hanging above it, which provided a great sight of the high table but it’s view of the Baratheon table was blocked by the Stark one. This was probably done to defuse the future heated situations. Not that it stopped the usurper from yelling: “Dragon spawn! And dragons everywhere! Woman I told you that coming to this farce of a wedding was a bad idea!”</p>
<p>To which the Queen replied to him with: “You will not skip your firstborn’s wedding just because you don’t like the quests on his husband’s side! My father will stop paying for your tourneys if you do!”</p>
<p>Viserys took his eyes off the sorry sight and notice that he was sited at the head of the Targaryen table. As he should be. He liked his nephew more and more with each gesture.</p>
<p>Jon’s Targaryen relatives left much to be desired. The woman was wearing a dress from Essos and his future uncle looked like a peacock in his black and red garment. Still Jon wanted to meet them and get to know them so Joffrey excused himself from their company as Jon began asking them questions about Essos and went to greet the Lannister contingent.</p>
<p>His grandfather was here, looking much more dignified than the Targaryen “King” in exile. So was his granduncle Kevan with his wife and their children. His grandaunt Genna was there with her weasel husband and their children as well. Joffrey made a bow towards the whole table and his grandfather raised a cup in his direction.</p>
<p>“Grandson, it does you credit that you managed to bring civilization to these formerly pirate infested lands. It is a pity your line will end with you, though.”</p>
<p>Joffrey smirked at his grandfather but said nothing. He had yet to speak with Jon about taking another spouse for the sake of children. And even if his line was to end with him just what he did in the Stepstones alone will leave him with a good name in the annals of history.</p>
<p>The day before the wedding proceeded much the same. With both Jon and Joffrey greeting guests. Jon had reluctantly left the Targaryen table at some time and made the rounds around the other ones bar the table of the Baratheons of King’s Landing. King Robert was yet to forgive him for taking a crown for himself, let alone for taking his son for a spouse. There was no need for extra yelling. He did try to greet the Queen, though.</p>
<p>It was plain for all to see that she didn’t like him all that much. But then which mother in law liked their new sons? The greeting she had given him was cold at best. The very thought of her never receiving grandchildren from Joffrey enough to make her see the event only as a happy day for her son and live with it.</p>
<p>Joffrey’s siblings kept levitating around Cannibal’s eggs and touching them. The great beast had flat out refused to take care of them and Sheepstealer had also felt no desire to lay on them. So the eggs were moved to the grand hall and put in the biggest fireplace.</p>
<p>The heat wasn’t equal to dragon flame but the fireplace was stocked regularly. When King Robert saw that his two remaining children were touching the heated eggs without any fear of the flames around them he had let out another stream of cursing and the Queen looked like someone had slapped her.</p>
<p>After all the precautions she had taken, and no matter their looks, all three of her children were Robert’s. And if the joyful laughter that was coming from Tommen and Myrcella was any indication then the eggs would hatch soon and then she, Cersei Lannister, would be the mother of not one but three dragon riders.</p>
<p>Robert had given her what even Rhaegar wouldn’t have been able to give her. Now that was enough for her to almost forgive her husband for all his transgressions. She had planned to kill him but why should she now? Jaime was probably not being able to father any children if all of hers were Robert’s. Yet she had gotten children, just like she wanted. And her brother as a lover, just like she wanted. And Robert was none the wiser to the second part and he suffered so watching his children being more Targaryen than Baratheon that she took a great delight in watching him.  </p>
<p>The only one that was truly glad at this arrangement was strangely enough Stannis who watched as Shireen shyly played at touch the egg with her cousins. He was glad that his daughter would have a fierce protector one day when he was finally gone.</p>
<p>Suddenly the three children gave out a screech and back away from the fireplace as loud cracking was heard. King Robert began cursing loudly again as Cersei clapped her hands joyfully. Three small lizards emerged from the fireplace and each picked a child to curl itself around.</p>
<p>Myrcella had a golden dragon with red eyes. Tommen a black one with brown eyes and Shireen cradled a beautiful white, blue eyed, dragon to herself. Stannis got up and approached his daughter just as Cersei was also making her way to the fireplace.</p>
<p>Myrcella was the first to present her dragon to her mother.</p>
<p>“Look, mother, I have a little star! That’s how I am going to name her. Star.”</p>
<p>Next was Tommen with his black one who energetically hopped from one foot to another in his desire to present his mother with his own dragon.</p>
<p>“And mine is Shadow, because he is black and will cast a great shadow one day! I just can’t wait for it to become just as big as Joffrey’s!”</p>
<p>Shireen petted her own dragon and didn’t present it to her aunt but when her father approached she quickly noticed and presented her own dragon to her father.</p>
<p>“This is Snowstorm, father. Because he is white and will be vicious like a storm. A fitting dragon for our house, isn’t he?”</p>
<p>Stannis put one hand on his daughter’s shoulder and nodded as Cersei was gushing over her own children. Joffrey all but dragged Jon towards the small gathering. He was livid. He had done his best to preserve these eggs for their own children, should they have any. There was no telling if Cannibal would ever lay more eggs. And his siblings and cousin had come and stolen them!</p>
<p>“All right, the show is over. Return these dragons to the fireplace right now! They are from Jon’s dragon and none of you asked him if you can take them!”</p>
<p>Joffrey’s anger was just, but Jon looked at the small dragons with wonder in his eyes. He petted each one on the head and then did the same with the children who had claimed them.</p>
<p>“I see no harm in them keeping them, Joffrey. They are already attached and neither Cannibal nor Sheepstealer want to raise them. And we have too much work here to raise small dragons. Let them keep them.”</p>
<p>Joffrey wanted to show his ugly side so very much but his mother was giving him a stern look and he had already used the excuse that since the dragons came from Jon’s then they were his to give. His siblings and cousin now couldn’t be so easily bullied.</p>
<p>Sheepstealer, even though he was from the time of the Dance of Dragons, wasn’t exactly the biggest dragon around. And these three were Cannibal’s get and could potentially grow as big as him. Judging by how big the dragons of the two Targaryen were dragons grew fast. And his mother would reopen the dragon pit for Star and Shadow and his uncle Stannis would let this Snowstorm roam the entire Dragonstone. The perfect place for a growing dragon with it’s caves and abundance of fish.</p>
<p>Joffrey lowered his head in defeat and gripped Jon’s arm and dragged him to the side.</p>
<p>“You just gave away three armies to potential enemies, love. How are you going to make it up to me?”</p>
<p>It was Jon’s turn to lower his head. He was used to sharing with his siblings, well cousins, really, and so he had thought nothing of it when Joffrey’s own family had laid claim to the newly hatched dragons. He looked over at the exited children and then at the Targaryen table where his uncle was discussing something heatedly with his aunt.</p>
<p>Could Cannibal be enough to stop another dance of dragons? He was no fool and he knew his aunt and uncle wanted to return to Westeros as conquerors. But Westeros was as much Joffrey’s as his own as the only surviving child of Rhaegar Targaryen.</p>
<p>“We’ll find a way to make them go to Essos and wage wars there when their dragons grow up. And if there is a need Cannibal will deserve his name once more. We will be fine, Joffrey. Trust me.”</p>
<p>Joffrey was surprised at these words. He hadn’t thought that Jon had it in him to actually show some backbone when threatened. The northerner had showed himself like such a kind soul that Joffrey had thought him another Baelor Targaryen.</p>
<p>Joffrey spared the gathered crowd around the newly hatched dragons a glance and found out that the Tyrells were there as well and that a fine lady was talking with his younger brother. So much for that plan.</p>
<p>Joffrey looked as angry as his father and Jon left him to stew in his own rage and went back to the children to congratulate them on their dragons. He was well received by the Queen at last as the treasures he had given her other children were grand indeed.</p>
<p>Jon had even received a proper invitation to the Lannister table by lord Tywin himself and the northerner accepted. He was put right next to Lancel, which meant that he was viewed as a still lower member of the house but just the fact that he had been invited spoke volumes of the satisfaction that his grandfather had when it came to his dragon rider grandchildren. For once lord Tywin was even proud of his daughter that she had given birth to such fierce members of their house.</p>
<p>The next morning both Jon and Joffrey stood in the finished sept and waited for everyone to sit themselves. There were two weirwood saplings in pots, gifts from house Stark, at each of their sides. That way their union would be blessed by the gods they both worshiped.</p>
<p>Joffrey looked and saw that Viserys Targaryen had seated himself next to Myrcella and that the Tyrell lady, he forgot her name, was next to Tommen. Near them was Jon’s aunt and her savage of a husband.</p>
<p>Much to Joffrey’s surprise his father looked sober for once and send hateful glances at almost everyone but his two brothers were seated at each of his sides and were restraining him. Well it was more Stannis doing the restraining than Renly, but still. Queen Cersei was seated next to her father and brother and when the last stragglers finally took their seats the ceremony began.</p>
<p>Joffrey didn’t pay attention to it. But Jon seemed to be soaking up every word. In fact when the droning of the priest finally ended Jon surprised Joffrey by leaning in and kissing him on the lips. So it was finally done, Joffrey thought to himself, Jon, and more importantly Cannibal, was his.</p>
<p>The feast that followed was a modest one compared to what his mother had in mind but Jon had decided that a feast should be held for the natives and settlers as well and so their stocks were stretched.  That had made him a favorite for the common folk, but then again what else was new.</p>
<p>Joffrey ate sparingly and kept stealing glances at Jon. They both ate from the same plate and drank from the same goblet. And all the time Joffrey couldn’t help but wonder how it was going to be like during their first night.</p>
<p>Sure they had slept in the same bed before, to lower the cost for their guards at first and because it became a habit afterwards. But they have never did any other activities than sleep in bed. And tonight it would be expected of them to do just that.</p>
<p>The marriage couldn’t remain unconsummated, that much Joffrey was sure of. Otherwise some far grasping lady’s father would try something with Jon’s naivety in mind and then Joffrey would lose half of his army. And now, that there were five dragon lords, with a potential sixth on the way, he couldn’t afford to lose anything.</p>
<p>The feast was going smoothly until some man of Dorne began to shout about the bedding. Everyone began to laugh at that. Just who was going to be carried off by the men and who by the women? Jon put a stop to that by loudly setting their goblet down.</p>
<p>“There will be no bedding, my lords. Joffrey and I are both tired and will make our leave now. Thank you all for coming to our wedding and enjoy the reminder of the feast.”</p>
<p>With that the Targaryen stood up and offered his hand to a fuming Joffrey. It was he the men of the bedding had wanted to take away. His manhood was insulted and just because Jon had defused the situation it didn’t mean he wasn’t going to suffer for it later.</p>
<p>Jon didn’t let go of Joffrey’s hand all the way to their room. It was the same one they had used before and they had both decided beforehand that they will keep their studies and meeting rooms separate but sleep in the same chamber.</p>
<p>As soon as Jon opened the door his bravado disappeared. Now what was he going to do? Joffrey looked livid so there was not going to be a pleasant consummation if the blonde remained like this. To try and placate his new husband Jon went and picked a wine glass and filled it with the Arbor gold that Joffrey loved so much. He passed it to the blonde and waited for him to drink his fill before beginning uncertainty.</p>
<p>“Tonight certain things are expected of us but if you don’t want to do anything we can just go to sleep.”</p>
<p>Joffrey send him a look that could kill. Then he picked a glass and filled it with Arbor gold and passed it to Jon who drank his glass just as fast as Joffrey had drank his own.</p>
<p>“I will not let it be said I was some shy maiden on my own marriage night. You, me, bed now!”</p>
<p>Joffrey tugged at Jon and managed to wrestle his unresisting husband to the bed. He began undressing himself and when Jon wasn’t doing the same he poked him in the ribs.</p>
<p>“Come now, husband dear, and don’t make me do all the work. I want to wake a dragon tonight and become a dragon rider of a different sort. For that your clothes must come off.”</p>
<p>Jon began to uncertainty undress himself and when he was finally naked he just laid there and didn’t know what to do. Joffrey had let his hair grow longer and it gently curled around his neck. Jon reached out and played with a loose curl until Joffrey was done undressing himself and throwing his many layers on the floor. Which was a stark contrast to Jon’s actions of folding his own and setting them on a chair nearby.</p>
<p>Joffrey gave out a huff and crawled between Jon’s legs and gently maneuvered them to wrap around his hips. Then he too stop moving. He made and angry noise in his throat and slapped Jon’s butt.</p>
<p>“Do you know how to do this? I know how to do it with a woman in theory. But, Jon, you are not one.”</p>
<p>Jon laughed at that and kept playing with the curl. A smirk appeared on his face.</p>
<p>“Are you telling me that you, with a father such as yours, don’t know where to put it?”</p>
<p>“You lack the proper hole, dear!” Was the angry reply.</p>
<p>Jon stopped playing with the curl and moved his hands down Joffrey’s neck. Then he moved it down his back and then he settled at the entrance between the blonde’s butt cheeks.</p>
<p>“How about here?”</p>
<p>Jon pinched Joffrey’s side and the blonde gave an indignant huff. Then with a feather light touch Jon wrapped his fingers around Joffrey’s manhood and began to massage it. Joffrey bit his lips but refused to give out a whimper. Soon he was hard and making efforts to put Jon’s legs even further up so that he would enter the suggested hole. Jon clamped his legs and squeezed Joffrey’s manhood until the blonde did whimper.</p>
<p>“Don’t you think you have to stretch me first? Otherwise it will hurt and I don’t want to get hurt on my own wedding night.”</p>
<p>Joffrey looked positively stunned. Jon was going to let him dominate him. And Jon knew how men did it. Just how Jon did knew how men did it? Joffrey felt a pang of jealousy at the thought that he wasn’t Jon’s first.</p>
<p>“How many have you had before me, husband dear?”</p>
<p>Joffrey’s anger must have slipped in his voice because Jon squeezed even harder. Not wanting to be dominated to that extend.</p>
<p>“None, Joffrey. But I’ve seen dogs in the kennels and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out something so simple. Now I know you like to hurt people, I’ve seen you chasing pirates who had given up and burning them alive. But I don’t want to be hurt. So if you want to keep this game you are playing with me going on then you better earn me.”</p>
<p>Joffrey aggressively kissed Jon and bit his lips. Not too hard to draw blood but hard enough to be seen as a warning. Then he pressed his fingers to the dark haired northerner’s lips and stared down at him until Jon took them in his mouth. Joffrey tried to gag him with them but Jon grazed the offending fingers with his teeth and that put a stop to these attempts.</p>
<p>The fingers came out covered in spit and Joffrey was quick to put two of them inside Jon who tugged at Joffrey’s curls in response.</p>
<p>“Gentler, Joffrey, or I will be just as rough when it is my turn to ride you.”</p>
<p>Joffrey paled at that and began to move slower. Peppering Jon’s jawline with kisses until he felt that his husband was adequately stretched.</p>
<p>“May I?”</p>
<p>Asked Joffrey in uncertainty. If he rushed now then Jon will rush too and since the northerner was the stronger physically of the two Joffrey was certain it would hurt. And he hated receiving pain.</p>
<p>“You may” said Jon and began to play with Joffrey’s hair again as the blonde entered him and did his best to go slowly and do everything just as he himself wanted it done later tonight. And he reaped what he sow when, after he was done and exhausted, Jon began to take care of him gently and without rushing things.</p>
<p>When the maids came the next morning the sheets were all the proof they needed to announce in the rumor mill that the two kings had done the dead. Joffrey didn’t care much for them or what the guests would say as his husband was pleasuring him with his own mouth in the bathing room. He was too busy moaning to notice how most of the guests made their goodbyes to the castellan and didn’t find out that his father was the first to leave after he had a spat with his mother and lord Stark about the marriage and not wanting to pay a bride price. Not that anyone had asked him to do so.</p>
<p>Robert Baratheon had also threatened Viserys not to be around his daughter as he would be damned if another Targaryen took away any of his children. Not that Viserys listened. He had a dragon, albeit a small one, and the usurper was a far cry from the demon of Trident he had heard so much about. And his daughter was a pretty one with a dragon of her own.</p>
<p>Once most of the guests had left Viserys made his case to remain by his nephew’s side and was accepted with open arms and another embrace. Dany and her savage went back to Essos after leaving a dragon bone bow for Jon and a special crossbow for Joffrey. Good riddance to them, Viserys thought to himself.</p>
<p>After the wedding was over the two kings went back to building towns and villages on the archipelago while Viserys began to feed and train his dragon more. If these stones were enough for his nephew then Westeros was up for the taking. And if he married Myrcella and did away with her other brother then he would be king just as his mother had crowned him.   </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 5</p>
<p>Joffrey was amusing himself in a public execution of a pirate wannabe who had resurfaced while Jon and he were too busy building a village in the area. Jon didn’t know about the execution, or he might have stopped it. After all the pirate had tried to leave the Stepstones and never return.</p>
<p>If Joffrey was to allow something like this to happen then soon the Stepstones would become a breading zone for pirates which in turn will bother the trade in the region and that would mean that no trade will come through at all.</p>
<p>The man was on his knees and begging but Joffrey motioned for Sheepstealer to approach and the earth shook beneath the beast’s girth. With a yell of <em>Dracarys </em>the pirate and his whole family was incinerated and Joffrey clapped his hands gleefully. He loved his dragon and the way it was always ready to burn people who he didn’t like for him.</p>
<p>Now that the fun part was over he needed to think about what he would tell Jon about the execution. Jon, who insisted that even the villages had canalization and stone walls. Jon, who was the champion of the common folk and would certainly condemn him for not giving the pirate a fair trial.</p>
<p>Well, in a way he had given the pirate the option of trial by combat. The man had foolishly accepted but when Joffrey told him that Sheepstealer was his champion he had been reduced to begging. And this got Joffrey thinking about other things.</p>
<p>People didn’t fear him personally. They feared his dragon, but there was a big difference between what that was and what he wanted. Deciding he had more pressing issues than to make excuses in front of Jon, Joffrey walked in the direction of the tower where his uncle Jaime resided.</p>
<p>While he was climbing the stairs Joffrey had time to think. His father had tried to teach him how to fight by passing him from one master at arms to another but Joffrey had complained to his mother about each and every one and so he had remained untrained.</p>
<p>Compared to Jon, who made it his mission to train with the guards every day, Joffrey had to admit he couldn’t fight at all. On his way he saw Viserys with his small dragon wrapped around him waiting to be received right in front of Jaime Lannister’s chambers. Joffrey nodded at his uncle in law.</p>
<p>“What brings you here, Viserys? You can’t get my uncle to fight for your cause if that is what you are trying. And he will keep you outside for days or for as long as you have this delusion.”</p>
<p>Viserys had a mad look in his eyes for a fraction of a second. Then remembered who had the bigger dragon and nodded back before speaking.</p>
<p>“I know this already, nephew. But I want him to train me. Unlike you my dragon is small and I am more Viserion’s protector than he mine. But your uncle pretends he is not in his chambers. Even though his servant told me he is inside.”</p>
<p>Joffrey looked Viserys up and down. The Targaryen had made use of their spare maesters to receive lessons that every high born had already gotten from a young age. But seeing as he had been hunted by Joffrey’s father most of his life it was obvious he didn’t know even half of what a prince should. And who would train a beggar king like him in the sword?</p>
<p>This was a good opportunity for Joffrey to gain Viserys’s trust. The Baratheon knocked on the door three times before speaking.</p>
<p>“Uncle Jaime, its me, Joffrey. We need to talk. Can you come out, please?”</p>
<p>A few moments later Jaime opened the door but his expression soured at seeing Viserys there with Joffrey. He was about to shut the door in their faces when Joffrey put his foot in the way.</p>
<p>“Uncle, you are an accomplished swordsman. Some say you are the best. But I need to be able to protect myself. And so does Viserys. We would like you to train us.”</p>
<p>Jaime opened the door further and beckoned them both inside. The smile Viserys gave his own father’s killer was blinding and Joffrey was once again reminded that he had married into a crazy family with only one sane member. Jaime put two chairs for the two kings and sat himself in front of them.</p>
<p>As soon as the two blondes took their seats Jaime raised a finger towards them.</p>
<p>“I cannot refuse the plea of a dragon rider but if I am to teach you two anything then we will do this properly. Now which one of you can tell me how those who wish to be knighted start out? And no, you can’t skip any steps.”</p>
<p>Viserys looked like he had eaten something particularly sour and Joffrey looked like he had been slapped. The two men shared a look and Joffrey made the first attempt.</p>
<p>“They start out as cup bearers or pages.”</p>
<p>His uncle clapped his hands and grinned at them both.</p>
<p>“Normally yes, but the duties of a page require that you two will have to be around me all the time. And this can’t happen with Joffrey’s duties to building and the lessons Viserys has been getting. Still you will act the part in your free time. But first I need to help you both build some muscle mass. You both will help in the building of the houses for the smallfolk. If Jon can take time to help in this then so can you two. If you don’t agree to help in the following three months, or try to pay someone to do your job for you, I will not begin your training.”</p>
<p>Another look was shared between Viserys and Joffrey. Neither wanted to mingle with the smallfolk but where would they find a better teacher than the legendary Jaime Lannister?</p>
<p>“We agree.” They said at the same time. Then they got out of their chairs and moved towards Sheepstealer. The current village that was being build was on a different island than Dragon’s port. So they needed to fly there.</p>
<p>Joffrey didn’t like that Viserys had to clutch to him during the flight. Mostly because Viserion wouldn’t stop screeching, but he put up with his fellow page. Jon was so surprised when he saw them approach that he dropped what he was carrying.</p>
<p>“Are we under attack? Are the pirates acting up? Do I need to get Cannibal?”</p>
<p>At the last question all the people around them looked worried. Joffrey surprised everyone by bending down and picking up the dropped wooden planks. He got tired after only picking up half of them. As he did so he began to explain why they were here.</p>
<p>“Uncle Jaime had agreed to instruct us in the sword only if Viserys and I help with building the houses for three months. The only pirate that didn’t know his place was already taken care of by me. Now where is this supposed to go?”</p>
<p>Viserys followed Joffrey’s example and picked the remaining planks. He looked at his nephew in question and Jon led them towards one of the roofless houses that had gaping onlookers around it. Joffrey and Viserys dropped their planks for the workers to pick up and to get up to the unfinished roof.</p>
<p>Jon then led them back to the wooden planks and picked as much as he could carry as Joffrey and Viserys did the same. All the time Jon thought that the two blondes will complain or throw a fit but they kept doing what he did until the sun was low and Joffrey was the first to collapse next to the wooden planks. Followed soon by Viserys. They both gave Jon pleading looks and he stopped loading himself with planks.</p>
<p>They had done a good job. The house they had started on had a roof now and so did three more. Happy families moved in and the children among them came with cool water for the three dragon riders.</p>
<p>Viserys gulped his own down. Regretted it wasn’t wine and then send the child that had given him the liquid away. Joffrey demanded another glass from the child and was given it soon by the grateful brat. Once they were watered they both looked at Jon expectantly. It was Joffrey who voiced the question that was in both of the dragon riders minds.</p>
<p>“Jon, you will vouch for us in front of uncle Jaime, won’t you? Because if you don’t he might not believe us and then refuse to train us.”</p>
<p>Jon gave the two of them a soft smile and went to help Joffrey on his feet.</p>
<p>“Of course. But judging by how tired you both are I don’t think that he would doubt you. Can you get back to Sheepstealer or should I return the two of you on Cannibal? We can always have Sheepstealer follow at a distance.”</p>
<p>Joffrey considered the offer and agreed to it readily. In the condition he was in he might just fall from his dragon and die a humiliating death.</p>
<p>Jon helped Viserys to his feet as well and led them both towards Cannibal who had the whole beach for himself. Sheepstealer was roasting on a rock nearby and he perked up when he saw Joffrey. But Joffrey commanded him to simply follow and the dragon did so.</p>
<p>Cannibal snarled at the approaching beast but didn’t show any further aggression towards him. On Sheepstealer’s back was Viserion who made no effort to dismount his fellow dragon. Viserys thought him spoiled rotten.</p>
<p>The flight was uneventful as Jon was in front with Joffrey and Viserys behind him. They made it back to the royal tower and the two big dragons wrapped themselves around a tower each while Viserion with much reluctance went back to Viserys.</p>
<p>Before going back to his chambers Jon excused himself to go to the training yard as was his custom. Joffrey considered going with him but he was sore all over and preferred a bath.</p>
<p>The more days Viserys and Joffrey spend laboring for the smallfolk the better they were being received. Now as soon as Sheepstealer landed small children were crowding the great beast, carrying small gifts in their hands. Snacks and water cups.</p>
<p>This was all new for the two blondes. Viserys was soaking it all up like he had been starved for attention all his life. And in a sense he had been. All the good attention had always been given to Daenerys. While he received the scorn and the ridicule.</p>
<p>But here in the Stepstones it was different. He got just as much attention as the two kings and people admired not only him but also his small dragon who played with the children of the villages while Viserys labored.</p>
<p>Joffrey was indifferent to it all. As their king and the crown prince of Westeros these people owned him adoration. He gave a command to some of the children to wash the docile Sheepstealer with sea water and they did so with great delight.</p>
<p>The villagers had nothing but good things to say about their rulers. But Joffrey knew that the smallfolk were fickle. True, they were grateful for their glass gardens. A necessity since on the island’s soil almost nothing could grow and the precious little land they could spare was reserved for grain.</p>
<p>But come winter if their glass gardens were to fail. Or if the winter was longer and their stored grain wasn’t enough to feed them and their livestock. What then? They will turn against them as soon as they raise their taxes in effort to buy more grain from Essos.</p>
<p>Joffrey wasn’t fooled by their fleeting love. And he was sure to keep them at arm’s length and follow Jon’s example in everything since he was a natural when it came to pacifying the smallfolk.</p>
<p>What he took pride in, however, was that by the end of the third month he managed to carry as many wooden planks as Jon and for as long as him while Viserys was still struggling. A result of many missed meals while on the run from Joffrey’s father, no doubt.</p>
<p>The other villages and towns were going along nicely. With roads connecting the houses to the wells, bath houses, and the lord’s castle. Of which there was one in every village as the Golden Company hadn’t forgotten the promise of lordships.</p>
<p>When the village they had been working on was finally done, road, canalization, bath house, windmills and all that already build they had a small feast in it with the first harvest of greenery from the glass houses. Which were built even before the houses as food was the main priority for the inhabitants of the Stepstones.</p>
<p>Joffrey ate his bean soup and looked around him. Not many towns in Westeros could boost about having even half of the luxuries this little village had. Because the glass houses needed to be weeded regularly the village had a five hundred inhabitants. Bigger than most villages back in Westeros. Maybe he would bring these innovations that kept coming from Jon’s desire to make everyone comfortable in their new home back to his own homeland when his father dies. After raising the smallfolk’s taxes, that is.</p>
<p>Jon looked content and was speaking with an equally happy Viserys about which village they would help build next. The ones on the island right next to this one were already ready for living. As the future lords from the Golden Company had copied everything Jon did for the villages he helped build.</p>
<p>As for the towns Jon’s help extended to having Cannibal transport big slabs of stone for the walls. In each island there were three towns build, each one with a port for trade and connected with paved roads to the many villages which were responsible for the food production.</p>
<p>The first harvest of grain would be soon and Joffrey had made sure to threaten the proper people in order for the grain barns to be completed in each town. Long before even their own glass houses.</p>
<p>Having had enough of the festivities he tugged Jon and Viserys towards the dragons. Viserion had grown larger and yet he still liked to roast on top of the docile Sheepstealer. He was now too big for Viserys to carry him on his shoulders but not big enough to ride. Joffrey wondered how big the other dragons have gotten. Viserion had a couple of months of a head start on them but he had looked smaller than the two other dragons that Daenerys had hatched.</p>
<p>And thinking about Daenerys his mood soured. Somehow her husband had died. Some said it was from an infection caused from him defending her rights to own slaves. Others said he had been cursed by a witch Daenerys had saved. But all agreed that it was her fault.</p>
<p>Rumor had it she had also lost her child in the process but so far she hadn’t ran to them in the Stepstones. Maybe it was because she had too much pride. Or maybe it was because without her husband she was lost. At any rate her own brother didn’t seem overly concerned or in any rush to go to her and protect her. So Joffrey decided to take the same approach and simply not discuss it with Jon, who, knowing him, will go in search for his half-mad aunt and leave the defense of the Stepstones entirely up to him.</p>
<p>After they flew back to Dragon’s port, now fully finished with its seven towers and roasting places for Cannibal and Sheepstealer. Joffrey and Viserys went straight to the training yard where Jaime waited for them. He had them spar against each other and then had them both go against him.</p>
<p>They didn’t land many hits. On the good days they were happy with one or two. But with each day they were getting better and if they kept it up soon they will be landing even more hits.</p>
<p>A healthy rivalry developed between Joffrey and Viserys and they were particularly vicious during their spars against each other. Viserys had agility but lacked strength even with all the hard labor he did during the day. Joffrey was more ridged but he had good health on his side and once he pushed Viserys he was almost impossible to be pushed back. Still Viserys liked to fight dirty and more than once kicked dust in Joffrey’s eyes.</p>
<p>Neither was a great swordsman. Or looking like they could take on multiple guards just like Jon did. Still they improved and the people loved them for their efforts to help in the building process. And Joffrey liked to reap the rewards for all his good deeds. Even if they were done on threat of no further training from his uncle.</p>
<p>As soon as Joffrey was alone with Jon he monopolized his whole attention. Jon might be just as sore as him after the labor and the training but the northerner had a soft spot for him and always helped him during bathing time.</p>
<p>Since they came home at the same time they also shared their bath. There was no sense in doing otherwise. And after that Joffrey liked to take liberties with his second dragon.</p>
<p>Before, when his uncle Tyrion had tried to explain to him that sex was a good thing he hadn’t listened because women annoyed him and before Jon and Cannibal came along he didn’t even think of men in such a way, but now that he had a taste he wanted Jon every night.</p>
<p>He still grumbled at the fact that he couldn’t mix in a little bit of pain in with the pleasure but Jon was adamant that he wouldn’t stand for it. The most Joffrey had gotten was the ability to tie up Jon to the bed and put a blindfold on his husband’s eyes. And even that was a rare privilege as the ropes made marks on Jon’s skin.</p>
<p>They even had an agreement that if Joffrey went too far Jon would tell him. So far Joffrey controlled himself. He had tried to have his way once, when Jon was properly tied and blindfolded, but then Cannibal had roared and wrapped himself around the royal tower. Not to mention that Jon’s giant of a wolf, Ghost, had begun scratching the door. He had been quick to loosen his grip on Jon’s wrists and stood shell-shocked until the two animals stopped threatening him with violence.</p>
<p>Just how they knew that he was going to go too far was beyond Joffrey. But he had slowly started to believe in magic after that. When Viserys had told him about the molten gold incident he hadn’t believed him. Thinking that the Targaryen was making things up to be more important than he was. But now with the reaction of the two animals he was sure something was going on.</p>
<p>He had tried to reach out to Sheepstealer back then. Have him move to the tower himself. But a roar of Cannibal had forced the smaller dragon to remain where he was. And Joffrey had felt a deep fear that was different than his own.</p>
<p>The golden stag began to invite all sort of people who claimed they could do magic after that. He had been told by everyone that the only place where he would find magic, true and dark and the kind he wanted, was Asshai by the shadow. A red priestess by the name of Melisandre had come to spread her faith to the Stepstones and Joffrey had allowed it as long as she would teach him all that she knew.</p>
<p>And it was admittedly much. Most of what she thought him had to do with blood. He had king’s blood, Melisandre had told him. And so he could do much with it. On a hunch he had performed one of the rituals she had showed him to use against his enemies.</p>
<p>A rebelling captain of the former Golden Company had met his end when Joffrey had cut his arm over the flames while Melisandre chanted as he did so. But bringing himself back to the present he saw Jon satisfied lying next to him. Joffrey ran his hands through raven curls and marveled at how soft they were. After all the dust and grime Jon accumulated before their daily bath Joffrey figured that the northerner’s hair would be more of a mess but no, it was soft and pleasing to the touch.</p>
<p>Joffrey checked if Jon was asleep and then gently bit his neck. Not hard enough to wake him but hard enough to draw blood. He gulped it all down and went to the fireplace. Harry Strickland had been making demands for Dragon’s port lately. This could not stand. Joffrey cut his arm and spat some of Jon’s blood that he hadn’t gulped into the flames. He chanted in broken Valaryan and made sure to pronounce Strickland’s name properly.</p>
<p>Jon stirred behind him but didn’t wake up. Joffrey’s heart beat faster at the prospect of being caught. He finished the ritual and the flames turned green for barely a moment. There was power in King’s blood. But Joffrey knew that there was even more power in the blood of more than one king. The flames turned their normal shade and Joffrey went back to bed. Harry Strickland was found stabbed to death by his own lieutenants the next day and Joffrey rewarded each and every one of them with a lordship.    </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 6</p>
<p>It was becoming harder and harder to hide the magic Joffrey performed in the dead of night from Jon. The bites the blonde left the raven were visible in the morning and Jon began asking him questions. Joffrey had said it were just love bites at first but Jon wasn’t buying it anymore so Joffrey stopped taking from Jon’s blood.</p>
<p>He was sure his practice would be condemned. Jon liked to face his enemies with a sword but try as he might Joffrey was shit with the sword. It didn’t matter that he was better than Viserys or that he would keep training even if it was only to pass the wounds on his arms as training accidents.</p>
<p>If only Jon knew that Joffrey had disposed of most of the men still loyal to Harry Strickland with magic there would surely be a fight. So Joffrey did the logical thing and went to Viserys for help.</p>
<p>It had taken some convincing. Viserys liked pain even less than Joffrey. But the Targaryen had king’s blood in him and needed to earn his place in Dragon’s port. No threats were needed to get the man to join him in the rituals. Viserys knew he was still very much a beggar king and would remain so until Viserion grew up and even then his dragon would be too small to replace an actual army.</p>
<p>So the Targaryen remained by Joffrey’s side and even received permission to court Myrcella when Viserion grew up enough for the dragon to carry his rider to King’s Landing and back. Joffrey had also made it clear he would fight Viserys if the blonde kept trying to make his claim on the Iron Throne.</p>
<p>Viserys had raged on that and had even tried to threaten Joffrey with his sword but had been disarmed when Joffrey had taken out his own sword. Joffrey should have taken Viserys’ ungrateful head for that. Such was his anger. But instead he made a deal with him.</p>
<p>Viserys’ blood in exchange for the help of conquering and taming the continent of Sothoryos. Many had said that it was filled with dangers and the wyverns there would need to be disposed of before any settlers were to go and city building was to begin. But with Viserys’ and Myrcella’s dragons if not wiped out then the wyverns would be held at bay.</p>
<p>This won’t happen for many years to come and until then Joffrey’s soon to be brother in law would have to help him with the magical rituals. Melisandre had begun to speak to Joffrey of shadows that will hunt his enemies if he were to lay with her. But Joffrey was adamant that he wouldn’t do so.</p>
<p>For one these shadows would be created mainly by Melisandre and Joffrey wouldn’t have any control over them. And above all else Joffrey hated not being in control. But if Tommen got any ideas from the Tyrell lady to try and usurp him then Joffrey would take up Melisandre on her offer.</p>
<p>His younger brother was perhaps his greatest threat. The boy was still in the capitol and from there he could get their father’s support. And Tommen had always been annoyingly eager to please. Now that Joffrey had fallen from grace in the eyes of his father Tommen might be pushed further up the line of succession.</p>
<p>Jon had offered more than once to host Tommen and Myrcella at Dragon’s port but Joffrey had always made an excuse in order not to see his siblings. If only there was another continent for Tommen to try and tame he would have been as easy to deal with as were Viserys and Myrcella.</p>
<p>Myrcella, who, had written and was being written back letters from Viserys who was full of grace and courtesy for the girl. In order to get rid of them both Joffrey had begun to gather extra grain and separate some of the best captains from the former Golden Company and have them train all the volunteers that came to the Stepstones in order to search for their fortune.</p>
<p>The Stepstones were too small for them to gain lordship and both Jon and Joffrey had agreed that all the lordships were to go to men of the Golden Company so that their secret training techniques would remain a specialty of the Stepstones.</p>
<p>It didn’t take long for Jon to find out that Joffrey was preparing Viserys for something grand and since all that should be built on the archipelago was done already Jon volunteered to help his uncle as well.</p>
<p>Viserys had used the opportunity to have Jon scout out Sothoryos. It took Jon a month to go there and then go back but when he did so his anger was plain to see. He barely waited for Joffrey to enter their chambers when he rounded up on him.</p>
<p>“You want to send my uncle and your sister on a fool’s errand! The place is a big jungle with only a few ports. It is ridden with swamps where Cannibal had to guard me from wyverns! The rivers are full of aggressive fish that wouldn’t let neither Cannibal nor I drink water. My dragon had to boil them alive and we both needed to wait for the water to cool to drink. Myrcella is just a child and Viserys has only Viserion to his name! If you wish them dead then at least be a man and say it directly!”</p>
<p>Joffrey waited for his husband to finish his rant and while doing so he filled himself a glass of Arbor gold. He drank it calmly and when Jon finished speaking began explaining his plan to him.</p>
<p>“Jungles can be set aflame and new trees, ones native to Westeros and Essos, can be planted. I’m sure all the unnecessary animals on the continent would die out when their jungles are gone and we can always import useful animals from elsewhere. And no, Jon, I don’t wish my sister and friend dead. I wish to see them crowned and rulers of a large kingdom. We’ll help them achieve this goal. And so because of this I have begun to make preparations. That’s what I have been doing with the volunteers that had been flooding our islands.”</p>
<p>Jon wasn’t all that convinced in that. He knew Joffrey too well by now. And he also knew that should they fail to transform the untamed continent it would be no great loss to the blonde. But should they succeed Myrcella and Viserys would be grateful. And Jon knew what Joffrey would do with their gratitude.</p>
<p>Somehow he didn’t want his uncle to fall deeper in Joffrey’s web than he already had. He, himself, didn’t know why he cared. Viserys only treated him like family because of Cannibal. Still had prince Rhaegar lived he would have helped his younger brother in a heartbeat. And so, more for his dead father than his uncle, Jon began to make plans for the expedition to Sothoryos. But there was one thing they missed and so Jon voiced his concern.</p>
<p>“You might have gotten the volunteers railed up but how are we to get them to the continent? The few ships we do have are necessary for trade with Westeros and Essos. There are so many things our people need from both continents that it isn’t even funny. Or have you forgotten we are barely feeding them now with the glass gardens. We need to build more and that means a new contract with Myr. We need more glass, Joffrey. Winter is coming and if we start conquering Sothoryos now we will need to feed the settlers there as well. How do you propose we take all this up with the new lords of the Stepstones? They won’t back this up.”</p>
<p>Now Joffrey was angry. He hated it when Jon didn’t believe in him. Had they been back in Westeros they would have indeed needed to offer deals to their lords. But they were not in Westeros and he would be damned if he needed these upstarts for anything. Joffrey sat on the bed and faced Jon fully.</p>
<p>“They are lords because I made them lords. What was made can be unmade! I don’t know what they thought you back in Winterfell growing up but I want things to be different here! We have dragons, Jon. Our own army while the “lords” have only levies. They will listen or they will burn just like the monster infested jungles of Sothoryos. My sister will be Queen and Viserys will finally have his crown and all will happen because of the both of us. Or do you not trust me?”</p>
<p>“Then what of Tommen, Joffrey? How does he fit in your plans?”</p>
<p>Joffrey became even angrier and heard the distant roar of Cannibal. The dragon sensing ill intend while it’s master was blind to it. Joffrey forced himself to calm down. He moved from the bed and went straight to Jon. He put both his hands around his husband and whispered in his ear.</p>
<p>“Everyone who isn’t us is an enemy, love. And that includes my brother and sister and everyone with a dragon or an army that will try to get us to forsake our claim on the Iron Throne. It is yours by birthright. It is mine by the right of conquest thanks to my father. And we will share it with no one. The Stepstones are all well and good. Their taxes will surely help in any endeavors we begin. But they will be the new Dragonstone for our dynasty. A training ground for our children, should we have any. But you made a good point. We need ships and I doubt that uncle Stannis would deliver us the royal fleet.”</p>
<p>Joffrey felt Jon embrace him, probably mistaking Joffrey’s action for one of affection instead of the blatant attempt of manipulation that it was.</p>
<p>“We still have plenty of lumber from all the deforestation from the building process. We can make our own ships if we have shipbuilders from the free cities here. That is yet again another deal we need to strike.”</p>
<p>They held each other and Joffrey absentmindedly began to play with Jon’s curls. He didn’t wish his husband too hurt. Maybe one day he wouldn’t wish him any pain at all. But even Joffrey had to admit that it was in his nature to hurt others. The fact that he didn’t even consider killing Jon out of necessity to keep his control of the Stepstones made Joffrey come to the conclusion that he was changing. Even if it was just a little bit.</p>
<p>Joffrey pulled Jon towards the bed and they both laid on it. They did nothing but stare in each other’s eyes. And Joffrey spoke with such gentleness that he was surprised at himself that he wasn’t faking it.</p>
<p>“We can make this work. You asked me about Tommen. He can have Storm’s End. My uncle Renly is not going to have any heirs. You see, I don’t wish any of our family dead. And if we work for their happiness then they will work for ours too. Once we take Westeros after my father’s death we will have both it and the Stepstones to rule. And for that we will need allies. And who better than our own family?”</p>
<p>Jon ran his hands through Joffrey’s hair before pulling him closer. He knew that Joffrey’s plans were too grand. And the higher the blonde aimed the harder they will fall. Why should Viserys go to a jungle when he could have Westeros together with Myrcella? Why should Tommen be grateful of being simply a lord when he was born a prince and could be king? Especially now that Joffrey didn’t have Robert Baratheon’s favor anymore?</p>
<p>A war was coming as sure as winter was. If it was up to Jon he would build better defenses for the Stepstones and to hell with the Iron Throne. He didn’t need it. He didn’t want it. And he certainly didn’t want to bleed for it. Yet Joffrey’s dream was to sit on the ugly thing and rule two realms.</p>
<p>If Jon didn’t back Joffrey up he knew the blonde was going to try to take the throne alone. And then he would be seen as a foreign conqueror and treated as such. The people of the Stepstones would suffer for it. Jon didn’t know how to put his fears to words so he did what he did every time when it came to Joffrey’s dreams and decided to back him up.</p>
<p>The very next day he was on his way back to Sothoryos to begin to burn down it’s jungles and Joffrey was writing a letter to Braavos for shipbuilders and people who could make an Arsenal in Dragon’s port. As well as a letter for Myr for a better deal on glass for more glass gardens.</p>
<p>Joffrey had longed to go with Jon but someone had to keep the lords of the Stepstones in check. So the boring work was left up to him. The answer he got from Braavos almost made him test out their titan against Sheepstealer. His negotiations were with the bank and the price they demanded was outrageous. They wanted a dragon egg, freshly laid, in exchange for what Joffrey wanted of them. And they wouldn’t accept any gold or any other form of payment.</p>
<p>So if he couldn’t buy what he needed Joffrey decided to steal it. He send for Black Balaq and gave him the order to take a ship and use any means necessary to get as many shipbuilders as he could away from Braavos and into the Stepstones.</p>
<p>The Summer Islander had asked Joffrey to take some archers with him to guard the new arrivals and Joffrey had allowed it. Once he send the man away he opened the letter from Myr. Their prices were outrageous. But they at least had written that he could make monthly payments until the price was paid in full. Taxes would have to be raised and he wondered how many of their own people will go with the first ships to Sothoryos because of it. At least the dragon and the former sellswords would be enough to keep a rebellion from happening.</p>
<p>Viserys was getting inpatient once he heard that there will be an entire continent for him to rule over. He kept expecting for Joffrey to involve him in the planning and he had even flown to King’s Landing and told Myrcella of her brother’s plans for them.</p>
<p>Myrcella, young and naïve that she was, had been happy at the prospect of being Queen. She had flown behind Viserys with Star trailing behind as the hatchling hadn’t been big enough to carry her yet. Joffrey didn’t welcome his sister as warmly as perhaps the girl had expected it of him but welcome her he did.</p>
<p>He asked of what was happening in King’s Landing and she filled his head with worrisome news. His father had started to bring his bastards into the Red Keep. Had begun to let them take lessons with the maesters and he barely paid Tommen and Myrcella any attention which made their mother furious.</p>
<p>There was this one bastard in particular, Gendry, who had gotten their father’s favor to the point he sat next to him at small council meetings. That Robert had even begun to attend them was worrisome indeed. And there was another thing that got Joffrey’s attention.</p>
<p>Viserys’ sister, Daenerys, had survived without her husband somehow and was now in Qarth. Her two dragons with her and apparently growing. Joffrey hadn’t liked Daenerys when he first saw her. There was an aura of trouble around her that one could see from afar. That she wasn’t dead and still had followers was worrisome.</p>
<p>He didn’t like to admit it but he had no knowledge of Qarth. So right after the feast he had gone to the maester of Dragon’s port to find out somethings about the city. What he heard wasn’t to his liking. Qarth was a very rich city and had it’s own navy. It would be hard to take even with a dragon as for one to reach there they must go through the Red Wastes first. A desert where he wouldn’t be able to stop and tend to Sheepstealer.</p>
<p>What was worst Daenerys was calling herself the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and if something wasn’t done about her soon she would surely come to the Stepstones first with her dragons on her way to Westeros.</p>
<p>That night Joffrey finally agreed to make a shadow of himself with Melisandre. He didn’t enjoy the process and felt guilt over it knowing that Jon was out there in the jungles of Sothoryos while Joffrey was laying together with someone else.</p>
<p>He watched as Melisandre’s stomach grew just when they were done. The black wispy thing that came out of her looked like him and disappeared into the thin air in search for Daenerys.</p>
<p>The next he heard of the Mother of Dragons she had gotten herself a slave army when she should have been dead. Joffrey had stormed angrily in Melisandre’s room after hearing the news that Jon’s aunt wasn’t dead only to be met with a fearful expression from the red priestess.</p>
<p>“My king, if she is still alive then her dragons had protected her. What is worst she had seen the face of the shadow and now knows to count you among her enemies. You and your husband both.”</p>
<p>Joffrey went to the maester and ordered him to start building scorpions strong enough to take down a dragon. He allowed him all the resources he wished for and left him to his work as Joffrey began to make preparations by training on Sheepstealer’s back.</p>
<p>He still used the crossbow. Only one shot from him or the scorpions from the land and Daenerys would fall. If the stories about how she had made a riot in the city she got her army from then he couldn’t expect any mercy from her. He just hoped that he could deal with this before Jon returned from Sothoryos.</p>
<p>Jon was none the wiser about any of Joffrey’s mistakes. He was flying higher and yet the small wyverns were following him and harassing Cannibal. He had tried burning them but they were too fast for the dragon flames and so Jon needed to make Cannibal tear them with his teeth.</p>
<p>So far the deforestation had been going along smoothly. Sure, the fires were sometimes put out by the constant rains that plagued this continent but Jon had deforested a decent chunk of it. And it had all gotten well until he stirred a nest of Brownbellies. They were no bigger than some of the monkeys he had seen on the continent but they were vicious and what was more they could fly as high as Cannibal.</p>
<p>Maybe they had sensed that he meant to destroy their homes and them with it and so they were giving their all. Cannibal couldn’t eat another bite of anything after he had gorged himself on swamp wyverns and some strange big apes from the depths of the jungle and so he was now sluggish.</p>
<p>A brownbelly flew right next to Jon and received an arrow to the eye for it’s troubles. It fell down and a cry was spread from the others. Jon once again commanded Cannibal to breath fire and the dragon did, turning the nearest brownbellies to ash.</p>
<p>It had been weeks since Jon had properly rested and eaten thanks to the brownbellies. There was a fire burning in the jungle bellow and Jon heard the panicked cries of the animals bellow. All this destruction so Joffrey would have his way.</p>
<p>The natives of the land had surrendered as soon as he landed in one of their towns on the coastline and were now helping the deforestation with axes and whatever else they had in order to not be burned themselves. Had it been Joffrey perhaps they might have been but Jon was adamant that he wouldn’t let anything happen to these people as long as he lived.</p>
<p>As he thought that a brownbelly snuck behind him and bit his arm. Jon pulled out his knife and put it through the animal’s eye. It screeched and let Jon go as it flew down towards the flames with the knife still stuck in it’s head.</p>
<p>Finally having enough of being chased around the jungle Jon commanded Cannibal to breathe fire while spinning in all directions. The aged dragon’s flames were almost white, such was their intensity.</p>
<p>The brownbellies choose to try their luck down in the burning jungle rather than to keep harrying him. Jon cursed as the first few raindrops began to fall from the sky. The rains here were so intense that the fire would surely be put out and he would need to repeat all this when the vegetation dried enough for him to start a fire.</p>
<p>His arm hurt where the brownbelly had bitten him and he made Cannibal fly to Wyvern Point. The flesh looked chewed up and he knew that if he wanted to keep his arm he would need a healer soon. Else he would succumb to a fever and die in this damned jungle.</p>
<p>The healer he found was one of the few natives who knew the common tongue. The old woman had told him she would need to burn away the flesh and when she tried to press a red hot knife to his wound to disinfect it the knife did nothing.</p>
<p>There was no sizzling of flesh and to Jon the knife might as well have been cold. The raven cursed his Targaryen heritage and accepted to have his wounds bandaged with herbs and prayed to both the Old Gods and New that his wound wouldn’t get infected. He wondered how Joffrey was doing as he settled in the healer’s hut.</p>
<p>There was no way he could make it back to the Stepstones if his wound began leaking puss halfway through the trip and so Jon stayed with the natives and slept. Once the people of the continent had figured out and were told that Jon wasn’t here to kick them out of their homes but rather make them more livable they had welcomed him.</p>
<p>Jon wasn’t afraid of daggers in the dark. But with each day his wound wasn’t closing up like it should and he began to worry. His arm hurt and that was when the healer choose to ask him just what it was that had bitten him. Jon told her it was a brownbelly wyvern and she told him that because of their foul mauls an infection was sure to come soon.</p>
<p>There was nothing that the natives could do for him since fire hadn’t worked and so Jon packed his things and just as the fever was beginning to set in he flew away from Sothoryos defeated.</p>
<p>He reached the Stepstones barely conscious and his arm was killing him. What greeted him at Dragon’s port were walls lined with the biggest scorpions he had seen. Some of them even fired at him but Cannibal dodged out of the way and landed outside of the city walls.</p>
<p>Joffrey and Viserys, both armed and armored, came to see just who had returned and they were both relieved when it was Jon and not Daenerys knocking at their gates.</p>
<p>Had Jon been in a better state he would have asked question after question about the current situation. Instead, he lost the fight with the pain from his arm and fell from Cannibal’s back. The last thing he heard was Joffrey yelling at the guards to fetch him a maester.          </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 7</p>
<p>When Jon woke from his fever dream it was in his bed with Joffrey holding his right hand and Viserys his left. Cannibal was wrapped around the tower and what little light there was in the room came from the fireplace and candles.</p>
<p>Jon risked a look at his arm and found it bandaged. There was blood on his bandage and that was all Jon needed to know that the wound was still bad. He spoke and when he did so his voice was weak.</p>
<p>“Why were there scorpions on the walls?”</p>
<p>He asked the question to both his uncle and his husband and the two exchanged worried glances. Then Viserys gripped Jon’s hand harder and began to speak.</p>
<p>“Your husband has done something stupid to anger my sister, nephew. And she knows it was him who did it and so she will be coming here with her dragons to seek vengeance. Hence the scorpions.”</p>
<p>Joffrey send Viserys a dirty look but Viserys didn’t seem cawed at all now that he was not in the wrong. The Targaryen knew that it would mean he will fall slightly out of favor with Joffrey but right now he was more worried about what his sister and her army of slaves would do to him once she finds out he has been helping Joffrey the whole time. She had stood by as her former husband had tried to kill him with fire. This time she would stand by and order his beheading for sure.</p>
<p>Jon turned weakly towards Joffrey and waited for him to speak. If it wasn’t for Cannibal his husband would cover his tracks with murder that much he was sure of. It pained him to admit that Joffrey, despite their wedding vows, would always be a danger to him. Yet as long as Cannibal lived Jon knew that Joffrey won’t move against him. He just hoped that Joffrey didn’t feel bitterness towards him because of that fact.</p>
<p>When Joffrey spoke he actually had the decency to lower his head and mumbled his words.</p>
<p>“I used magic to try and kill your aunt. But it didn’t work and it was so obvious it was I who send the shadow after her that she must want my head now. If her dragons are as big as Viserion then I will have trouble battling her with Sheepstealer and Viserys and his Viserion alone. We will need Cannibal and you in fighting shape for when she comes. And you are not in fighting shape and it is all my fault for sending you into the lizard infested jungles.”</p>
<p>Jon thought about telling Joffrey it wasn’t his fault but that would be a lie and Jon didn’t want to lie to his husband even if it was to protect his feelings.</p>
<p>“All those “love bites” I kept finding for months before you send me to Sothoryos were you performing magic, weren’t they? Would it have killed you to be honest with me, Joffrey?”</p>
<p>The last part was said gently but Joffrey must have felt the pain behind it and for once in his life the blonde felt shame for taking advantage of someone. He lowered his head even further and his hair covered his face from sight. Joffrey didn’t like these new emotions he was feeling. He gritted his teeth, made to speak, then closed his mouth and let go of Jon’s hand.</p>
<p>“You are good with the sword, Jon. Well magic is my sword and I am good at it. I won’t stop. I used magic to get rid of those among the Golden Company that were going to ruin everything we worked for. I used magic to get rid of people from the free cities who were hindering trade between the Stepstones and Essos. And I will keep using magic to deal with our enemies because you are too soft to notice who they are.”</p>
<p>Jon hadn’t expected an apology and hadn’t received one. But he wanted to at least know the truth of this whole magical attack on Daenerys and so he turned to his uncle.</p>
<p>“Just what did he do when he was trying to kill Dany, Viserys?”</p>
<p>Joffrey gave an angry huff and Sheepstealer roared. Viserion, who was almost as large as the older dragon, roared back and Cannibal silenced them both with a growl.</p>
<p>“He made a shadow using his seed and send it to my sister as soon as he found out she was alive and well in Qarth. Had I known I would have told him just how vindictive she got under Drogo’s watch. I would have tried to stop him even. She is still my little sister, after all. But he only shares his plans and secrets when he needs help with them. And this time he only needed Melisandre’s help and so I was left in the dark up until he ordered scorpions to line all the walls of all the settlements in the archipelago.”</p>
<p>Jon thought on the wording that his uncle had used. Using his seed and Melisandre’s help could mean only one thing. He had been in the middle of nowhere fighting for more land for their family while Joffrey was pissing on his vows. He now understood lady Starks feelings towards him and where they came from.</p>
<p>“Joffrey leave, Viserys and I need to make preparations for the defense against Daenerys.”</p>
<p>Joffrey got up from his chair and took a glass from the bedside table. It shattered on the wall right across from Jon and both he and Viserys knew the blonde had been aiming for one of them but missed.</p>
<p>“It was just one time and it was necessary! Your aunt was calling herself Queen of my kingdom!”</p>
<p>Jon gave Joffrey a stern look and uttered a single word.</p>
<p>“Leave.”</p>
<p>Joffrey gripped his hair and screamed in rage. He was more angry at himself rather than at Jon. The raven had the right of it when it came to this. Jon wouldn’t have done something like this no matter who darkened their doorstep. With a whimper Joffrey attempted to defend himself again.</p>
<p>“I didn’t enjoy it! And I won’t do it again! I promise!”</p>
<p>The look that Jon gave him made Joffrey forget for a moment that the raven was badly hurt and couldn’t threaten him now. Had this happened before Joffrey would have chanced Cannibal’s wrath and used the opportunity to dispose of Jon. Now he only wanted to go back to his chair and hold his husband’s hand again. But he knew he could not. So he turned around and exited the room as Viserys began filling Jon in on what they have done so far in terms of defense.</p>
<p>Jon was up and walking about with a bandaged arm the very next day and Joffrey looked at him from afar as the raven examined the battlements and the scorpions. Viserys was following him and for once Cannibal allowed Viserion to roast near him as Sheepstealer was left by himself near the island’s caves.</p>
<p>Joffrey couldn’t stand it. And what he could stand even less was that he was in the wrong and needed to mend the situation somehow. He was flying over the archipelago on Sheepstealer’s back before he even had an idea why he was doing it. As long as Jon was hurt he couldn’t do the same with Cannibal and Viserys was the only one allowed near Jon and so his only protection, as poor one as the Targaryen was.</p>
<p>Joffrey flew to the nearest island and landed. The people manning the scorpions had been instructed to expect black dragons flying to burn them and so Joffrey didn’t have any trouble getting in the town. He received a royal welcome, as he should, and the lord of the place was waiting for him with bread and salt. Joffrey noticed that it was one of the lieutenants who have killed Strickland.</p>
<p>After accepting guest rights he went inside the newly build castle and began inspecting it. It was built entirely of stone so the people inside would be cooked alive inside it’s walls if Daenerys comes and if the scorpions missed.</p>
<p>The place was decked with dragon banners and a newly made one of a boar with a dragon behind it. It made sense that the new lord knew he stood to lose everything to dragons but still he choose a boar so that he would say to the world he was fierce and unafraid. A fitting banner for a former man of the Golden Company.</p>
<p>Joffrey was given the best chambers in the whole castle. Which were reserved for him and Jon, he later found out. There were some reserved for Viserys too and the mere thought that a lord whom Joffrey had made himself would pay homage to the traitorous Targaryen made Joffrey’s blood boil.</p>
<p>He sat on the bed and began to think. He was king and no one contested that. Not even Jon and Viserys. He ruled even when it bore him as he wanted to make up for the fact that he didn’t quite had the love of the people that Jon and Viserys enjoyed with ease.</p>
<p>Who made trade possible while Jon was away? And who send him off to a fool’s errand, a treacherous voice in his head said. It was true that this was all on Joffrey and even though he didn’t want to admit it he needed to make amends. He couldn’t afford to cower from a woman, even one with two dragons to her name.</p>
<p>With a decision already made he got up and left not even bothering to thank the lord for his hospitality. He was up in the air and flying towards Essos before anyone got word he had even left the castle.</p>
<p>It had taken a few stops but eventually he found Astapor. The place was in complete chaos. People ran and screamed when they saw his dragon and finally a man he had cornered and had his crossbow aimed at told him in broken Valyrian of what had happened.</p>
<p>After the so called Mother of Dragons had gotten her army and killed off the ruling government she had left the city to fend for itself. Choosing to go further east rather than clean her mess. After Joffrey lowered his crossbow the man calmed down a little and told him of the direction of the marching army. Daenerys had gone to Meereen and if her dragons were as big as Viserion then she must have taken the city already.</p>
<p>What surprised him was that when he asked how big the dragons that were here in Astapor he received the answer that they were no bigger than young calves. It had been the newly purchased unsullied army that had reduced the slaver city to its panicked state.</p>
<p>Joffrey couldn’t understand how what he was being told could be true and yet he didn’t shoot the man but instead he let him go. If he spoke the truth then Daenerys wouldn’t be a problem to deal with. If he lied, well, Joffrey was prepared to face two fully grown dragons already. He had started this and he would end it.</p>
<p>He wondered for a moment if his father would be proud of him for following in his footsteps so fully. First he cheated on his spouse and then he took his anger out on a Targaryen. Robert might even call him to court to congratulate him had he knew.</p>
<p>It wasn’t hard to find the big army of unsullied. The problem was that they were manning the walls of the city and Daenerys just like him had prepared herself with scorpions. Joffrey didn’t see the woman’s dragons anywhere.</p>
<p>He used the anger he felt at himself to fly towards the walls and to begin to burn the scorpions that were being aimed at him. He had been spotted too late and so the scorpions that did fire weren’t aimed properly enough for him not to be able to dodge.</p>
<p>A scorpion did managed to get Sheepstealer in the wing eventually but the old dragon just roared and landed inside of the city where those that were manning the walls didn’t dare lose any projectiles at Joffrey and his dragon. Sheepstealer was as fierce on foot as he was in the skies.</p>
<p>Unsullied after unsullied rushed in ordered lines to try and stop the beast but they received the same end. Some tried to take down Joffrey with arrows but the blonde didn’t stop going towards the largest pyramid in the city even when one struck his shoulder. Jon had managed to come back from Sothoryos with an infected wound. This was nothing.</p>
<p>The city was aflame by the time Joffrey reached the base of the pyramid and yet there was still no sight of Daenerys and her dragons. He choose to trust in Sheepstealer when the dragon began to search for an entrance to the underground of the pyramid rather than scale it.</p>
<p>There indeed was one and there Joffrey finally found Daenerys. There was only one dragon bellow the pyramid and he was chained. It was the one that had rested on her stomach during the wedding. The Targaryen was trying to unchain it desperately but found she couldn’t. She faced him with far more dignity than one sentenced to death had the right to.</p>
<p>They didn’t exchange any words. Nor did Joffrey tried to burn her as he knew it was pointless. She didn’t try to run from him or hide from him behind the chained dragon. Perhaps she was indeed deluded that her dragons were her children and so it was her last attempt at protecting the one she had left.</p>
<p>A roar was heard from above and hope shone through Daenerys’ eyes. Joffrey tugged at one of Sheepstealer’s horns and made him attack with his teeth and claws. The chained dragon tried to protect it’s mother so fiercely that it snapped its chain but it was too late. Daenerys was bitten in half by Sheepstealer and once that was finished Sheepstealer rounded on the smaller dragon.</p>
<p>They snapped at each other over the remains of Daenerys’ body but in the end Sheepstealer bit the other dragon’s head and with a snap the animal breathed no more. Joffrey’s breathing became labored when he heard footsteps of the kind that could only be produced by a dragon.</p>
<p>He turned Sheepstealer around to face the newcomer. There was no point in fighting in the corridor as the whole pyramid would collapse on them and bury them alive. The black dragon that came was smaller than Viserion but not by much. Maybe Daenerys couldn’t feed them as much as Viserys could feed his and their growth was slower. It didn’t matter as Joffrey kicked Sheepstealer in order to get him to charge at their enemy.</p>
<p>To his credit the black monstrosity had taken one sniff of the air and had immediately looked at the lower half of Daenerys’ body. It roared and fires came forth from it’s maul and Sheepstealer rose on his hind legs in order to protect Joffrey from them.</p>
<p>Joffrey was thankful as he could endure small fires but surely a dragon’s flame would kill him. The heat and the pain from the arrow made him nearly delirious and yet he screamed at Sheepstealer to attack in broken Valyrian. The two dragons fought for what seemed like hours to Joffrey but finally Sheepstealer’s claws sunken into the smaller dragon’s neck and soon his teeth followed in turning the animal’s neck into ribbons.</p>
<p>The last thing the black dragon did was to crawl around his mother’s remains and hide her from view. Joffrey waited until the animal breathed it’s last and then made Sheepstealer get them to the surface. No one tried to stop them on the way back. The unsullied were trying to put out the flames and people were screaming and running in the streets.</p>
<p>Joffrey found an abounded plaza and got off Sheepstealer’s back in order to remove the scorpion bolt from his wing. All the training with uncle Jaime must have finally paid off as the bolt was removed successfully and even though blood was dripping from the wound Sheepstealer looked like he could survive the damage. Then Joffrey touched the arrow that was in his shoulder and winced. Deciding to leave it for the maesters to take care of he went back on Sheepstealer’s back and flew away from the city, uncaring for all the pain he brought this day.</p>
<p>Just like Jon his wound too got infected on his way back but Joffrey endured it. His father had been wounded in battle too during the rebellion and hadn’t let it faze him so Joffrey called the maester for himself and dragged himself to his and Jon’s chambers.</p>
<p>Jon wasn’t waiting for him. A servant had told him his husband was in mourning for the death of his aunt. And Viserys was with him. When the two finally graced him with their presence they looked grim and their fists were balled.</p>
<p>Joffrey remembered his house’s words. Ours is the fury. He had done the right thing. The necessary thing. He had gotten rid of a rival and he would be damned if he was judged for it.</p>
<p>“Both of you leave.”</p>
<p>His voice was deceptively low and Sheepstealer tried to wrap himself around the tower just like Cannibal had done many times before but the black dragon stopped him just as Jon crossed the distance between the door and the bed and gripped Joffrey’s wounded shoulder.</p>
<p>Joffrey didn’t give him the satisfaction of showing him in how much pain he was in. The blonde felt his father’s son at last and instead of simply taking the pain he punched Jon’s still wounded arm. Much to his displeasure Jon didn’t show any weakness either.</p>
<p>They stood like that until Viserys left them to return to the mourning of his sister so that the two could have words. Jon’s tone was accusing as he spoke.</p>
<p>“There was no need for you to kill her! You could have made a deal with her!”</p>
<p>He received another punch to his wound and Joffrey’s shoulder was gripped tighter.</p>
<p>“She would have taken everything away from us. You should have seen Astapor. It went from a thriving city to a wreck once she got what she wanted from it! And Meereen would have been the same if I hadn’t…”</p>
<p>Joffrey stopped himself. It wasn’t Daenerys who had set Meereen aflame. It was he. Some of his guilt must have shown on his face as his shoulder was gripped tighter. Still he refused to back down. Even though he felt just like when he had been little and killed that kitchen cat in order to present her kittens to his father.</p>
<p>“I burned Meereen down. Or as nearly as. But I put an end to Daenerys and now we are safe, Jon. It is all that matters!”</p>
<p>“No, it’s not!” Shouted Jon in his face. “She was family and had no one beside us! And you killed her as if you had a right to do so! She wouldn’t have attacked us even when her dragons were fully grown. What you did is a crime, Joffrey! Its kinslaying and no one is more cursed than the kinslayer!”</p>
<p>Joffrey found Jon’s logic suddenly very amusing. He barely felt that Jon was his family or his own blood relatives as such. Perhaps bar his mother. Jon let go of Joffrey’s wounded shoulder hearing him laughing and sat in the chair next to the bed. He hid his face in his hands and Joffrey found out his sad excuse for a husband had begun to cry.</p>
<p>“Daenerys wouldn’t have cried for you, Jon. So stop marring your pretty face with tears and snout.”</p>
<p>He received no response and reached out and grabbed Jon’s hand in his. He received some resistance but he was allowed to hold him in the end.</p>
<p>“Yes, I am a kinslayer and cursed now but I did the hard thing that had to be done and I did it for us. Once we get the Iron Throne such things would have to be done daily. You were raised among soft hearted fools and so you don’t have any idea of the snake pit that is King’s Landing. They will eat us alive if we just prepare for an attack and don’t strike back. They will poison our dragons if they could. They will definitely try to kill us if they have nothing to lose. This is a victory so stop acting like it was a defeat!”</p>
<p>Jon looked at Joffrey as if he was seeing him for the first time. And then Joffrey knew that somewhere along the way Jon must have grown to love him. To consider him family. That he would forgive him in time but until then he would condemn his actions. The whisper that came from his husband made him think for a second.</p>
<p>“Is there any good in you or are you just pure cruelty like I thought of you for so long?”</p>
<p>Was there any? Joffrey didn’t know. He couldn’t imagine himself bringing any harm to his mother or Jon. Except he had brought his Jon harm by killing the man’s aunt. One of the few links left of the father he never knew. He felt neither shame nor guilt over it. Did that made him a cruel piece of shit? Yes, it did. And Joffrey wouldn’t have it any other way.</p>
<p>“If you knew already how I was like when you took me for a husband then you should have ended this before I got attached to you. What are you going to do now? Sick Cannibal on Sheepstealer and me? You don’t have it in you, my love. A king should be both loved and feared. But we are both kings. I will leave the adoration of the masses to you and enjoy their fear.”</p>
<p>Jon tried to get up. He had a dead look on his face knowing that Joffrey spoke the truth. Joffrey used all the strength his injured shoulder would allow him to pull Jon in bed with him and tuck him under the covers. Joffrey rested his head on Jon’s shoulder and let him cry silently in his hair.</p>
<p>The blonde wondered if his mother would have ever done the same for his father. Probably not. But then again Jon Targaryen was no Robert Baratheon. He didn’t drink in excess and didn’t whore to bury his issues. Joffrey suddenly felt the urge to make Jon happy. Yet another thing his mother wouldn’t do for his father.</p>
<p>He didn’t know how to go about it. For now he could only give comfort to his husband. He wrapped his uninjured arm around Jon and squeezed. It didn’t matter that Cannibal was back at his annoying habit of wrapping himself around the tower. Joffrey didn’t fear him anymore. He found that he would never directly harm Jon and so Cannibal could shove his protectiveness up his ass.</p>
<p>The image made Joffrey chuckle and the chuckle turned into laughter as Jon kept crying over Daenerys. All this drama over a woman they had only properly met on their wedding. It made Joffrey annoyed and he settled into the pillows and closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.</p>
<p>When he woke up the next morning Jon was still in his arms and fast asleep. The raven must have tired himself by crying his eyes out. Joffrey gently untangled himself from his husband and went to the bathing room. The servants have already drawled a bath and Joffrey enjoyed it even thought there was no one to wash his back.</p>
<p>That was usually Jon’s work but the raven wouldn’t be in the mood for it and so Joffrey did his best to wash himself with only one hand. Then he dressed in a robe and called a servant to dress him for the day. A trip to the maester and his wound was dressed anew and he was assured that he would make a full recovery.</p>
<p>Next he searched for Viserys and found him kneeling in the sept in front of the statue of the Stranger. Even though Joffrey didn’t like to admit it the Targaryen was his greatest ally. Even more so than Jon as Viserys could be forced to do things that Joffrey couldn’t bring himself to ask of Jon.</p>
<p>Viserys pretended he couldn’t see him and so Joffrey kneeled beside him and put an arm on the other dragon rider’s back.</p>
<p>“You betrayed my trust by spilling my secrets to Jon. And I took your sister from you in retaliation. I know you didn’t have much love for her and she for you but the two of you were still brother and sister. Now tell me what am I to expect from you, Viserys? Will you rebel against me like she did or will you be a true friend from now on?”</p>
<p>“A dragon is not a slave.” Was the only answer Viserys gave him before getting up and moving towards the entrance of the sept. Joffrey pulled out his crossbow and shot a bolt at the Targaryen’s back. Distant roars were heard and when Joffrey stepped over Viserys cooling body he saw from the entrance of the sept as Viserion was desperately trying to fight both Cannibal and Sheepstealer at the same time in order to get to the sept.</p>
<p>It was Cannibal who broke Viserion’s spine and both dragons began devouring the still twitching dragon’s body. Had it been just Sheepstealer against Viserion without Joffrey there to guide it’s attacks perhaps Viserion would have gotten to the sept.</p>
<p>Joffrey heard footsteps and saw Jon kneeling next to one of the weirwood trees that grew outside of the sept. Joffrey went to him and sat in his husband’s lap. It was Jon who broke the silence but not before he wrapped his hands around Joffrey.</p>
<p>“I liked Viserys. But we couldn’t have let him go, or could we have?”</p>
<p>“No.” hummed Joffrey “I liked him too but he would have given us Fire and Blood for his sister. It was his idea to just defend against her rather than to mount a joined attack on her. He still held her dear in his heart. Just like I do you.”</p>
<p>Viserion’s final screech was heard and the snapping of bones and scales was so loud that the whole population of Dragon’s port was hiding in their homes. Jon kissed Joffrey’s forehead and leaned on the weirwood.</p>
<p>“Now I am as cursed as you. People won’t soon forget that I send Cannibal to help Sheepstealer. And your sister will be distraught over Viserys’ death. She wanted to be his Queen.”</p>
<p>Joffrey laughed at that and began playing with Jon’s gambeson. It was thick and in Targaryen colors. Jon must have figured out what would happen today as soon as he awoke alone in bed. And he had prepared to take Joffrey’s side. To protect him. Joffrey felt happy at the fact and prideful at the fact that he hadn’t needed protection after all.</p>
<p>“I’m sure mother and father will find someone else to sell her off to. You would do the hard thing when it comes to my siblings and cousin, won’t you, Jon? The three of them stole your dragon’s hatchlings and if they wish to steal more…”</p>
<p>Joffrey trailed off but knew that Jon got the message. The dance of dragons had begun and only Robert Baratheon’s life was keeping it from going in full swing. Jon was thoughtful for a time and he just held Joffrey in his arms as securely as if they were both innocent of any crimes.</p>
<p>“I’ll do many things to stop dragon riders from usurping us, Joffrey. But don’t ask it of me to go against house Stark. They are my family as much as you are and I won’t bare it. I don’t know what I would do if you demand their heads as well.”</p>
<p>Joffrey knew what would happen. If the lives of house Stark were so important to Jon then Joffrey would forgive any and all slights they deal him. So long as they don’t rebel openly he had no problems with letting them keep their lives.</p>
<p>As Jon began to say a prayer to the Old Gods for Viserys and Daenerys Joffrey watched on as his and Jon’s dragons were finishing up Viserion. They were even breaking the bones to get to the marrow. That was a pity. These bones would have been their weight in gold had they been preserved.</p>
<p>Yet he wasn’t one to get between two dragons and their meal. He would simply allow servants to gather the remaining pieces and sell what he could. His kingdom was always in need of new finances and now that the slavers of Essos were considering him their savior as he had dealt with Daenerys perhaps he could get good loans and pay the glass he had ordered in full.</p>
<p>All that was in the future. For now it was important that Jon was with him. And even the news that his uncle Jaime and uncle Tyrion had left the city like thieves in the night couldn’t dampen Joffrey’s good mood. He didn’t need them anymore. All he needed was Jon. And he had him fully.         </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 8</p>
<p>The feast they were invited to came as a surprise for them. Jon hadn’t wanted to go. Joffrey’s father was celebrating the deaths of Daenerys and Viserys after all. But Joffrey had made some really good points about this being an opportunity for Jon to meet Joffrey’s family in their home. To see them as Joffrey saw them.</p>
<p>In spite of all of Joffrey’s arguments Jon still dressed in mourning black. There was a three headed pin on Jon’s tunic and when asked where he had gotten it from Jon told Joffrey that it had been a gift from Viserys while Joffrey had been away.</p>
<p>With the Targaryen family history Joffrey wondered if there was more to the pin than simple gift for a family member. But Viserys was dead and even if there was he couldn’t act on it any more. There had been three Targaryen house member in the world and now there was only one while the riders of house Baratheon were four.</p>
<p>If Jon wanted to make a statement that his house won’t fall with him by using this pin then Joffrey would allow it. It would anger Robert for sure, but other than that the pin was harmless. A simple proof that the last head of the dragon lived and was just as fierce as the other two put together had been. If not more so.</p>
<p>Jon went to pray to the weirwood before they departed. The northerner had buried Viserys beneath its roots and hadn’t allowed Joffrey to use Viserys’ corpse in any rituals. By the time Joffrey could dig the dead Targaryen out of there he would be rotten and useless so this was another thing he let happen to keep Jon if not happy then at least content.  </p>
<p>The trip to King’s Landing from Dragon’s port was a short one and the two reached the outer walls just as the sun was setting. Joffrey noticed the scorpions lining the walls of the city before Jon did and blew his horn three times so Jon can land further away from the dangerous walls.</p>
<p>Robert might not try to kill his own son. And maybe he wouldn’t want to kill Ned Stark’s nephew. But just to be safe the two dragon riders dismounted out of reach from the scorpions and waited by the dragons for an escort.</p>
<p>One soon came and Joffrey’s uncle Renly was leading it. Joffrey could understand his father not coming personally as the man was fat and old and no love was lost between them. Two fresh horses waited for Jon and Joffrey and Joffrey took the white one and left the black stallion for Jon. If the Targaryen wanted to be in mourning then Joffrey would let him go all the way.</p>
<p>The ride towards the outer walls made Joffrey worried. The people seemed restless and many would mutter kinslayers when they thought that he couldn’t hear them. It looked like it was bothering Jon as the raven lowered his head in shame and gripped the reins of his mount harder.</p>
<p>Had Joffrey came here on Sheepstealer these sheep would have been hiding in their hovels. Instead they had the audacity to judge him. Their prince and a king in his own right. He would bring them all to heal when he inherits the realm from Robert. But for now he kept his mouth shut and listened to his uncle Renly as he kept telling him about the tourney that was being held in their honor the next day.</p>
<p>It seemed that Robert was pleased with the disposal of Daenerys and Viserys. So much so that he was waiting for them at the bridge leading to the castle. There was a younger looking version of Joffrey’s father standing behind the fat king and decked in Baratheon colors.</p>
<p>So Myrcella had spoken true when she told him all dragon riders in the Baratheon branch had fallen out of favor with the king. There were other young people who looked more like his father than either Joffrey or his siblings did. And they were all in finery that no bastard should be allowed to wear.</p>
<p>Joffrey spotted Myrcella right next to Tommen. Her eyes looked puffy from crying but she too was wearing black and gold and so was Tommen. Joffrey in his Lannister colors looked somewhat out of place. He dismounted and soon Jon followed. Queen Cersei made her way pass all the bastards until she was standing in front of her firstborn.</p>
<p>Joffrey embraced her before greeting his father who clapped him on his shoulder. It was the one where the arrow had stroke but Joffrey didn’t show how hurt he was. Robert wouldn’t appreciate it and Joffrey wanted for the man to see him as a worthy son. More so than all the bastards gathered around the king.</p>
<p>His half siblings introduced themselves as the procession moved towards the feasting hall. The one who he had to be worried about was named Gendry. Apparently he was good with the warhammer and so that had risen him in Robert’s eyes.</p>
<p> A comely girl introduced herself as May Stone. She looked far much older than Joffrey and later he found out that she was his eldest sibling and was brought to King’s Landing from the Vale in order to be married off. She kept asking him about Sheepstealer and Joffrey decided to remain in her company rather than to try and talk with his own siblings who send him fearful glances.</p>
<p>His uncle Stannis was here too and so were his wife and daughter. A stern look was all he got from his uncle. His daughter might become a problem one day but for now his uncle’s wrath was enough to protect her.</p>
<p>As he spoke to May he didn’t notice that Jon and he were seated at the very end of the high table with the bastards taking the better spots near their father. May was on Robert’s right and Joffrey’s mother was seated further down the table and closer to him. It seems that she too had fallen out of favor and had Robert not have so many bastards he might have even set her aside for giving him dragon riders for children.</p>
<p>Still she held herself with pride and choose to change her seat and brought Tommen and Myrcella closer to Joffrey and Jon. Robert drank deep from his cup and didn’t notice this little rebellion. Nor did he call his wife by his side when he did saw her seating with all her children at the end of the table. Instead he put Gendry in her seat.</p>
<p>Robert rose to his feet and everyone quieted. He raised his cup towards those gathered and with a booming voice began to make a speech.</p>
<p>“Today we celebrate the grand victory of my son Joffrey over the Targaryen menaces!”</p>
<p>Loud applause was heard and many raised their own glasses and cups and drank to the news. This brought great satisfaction to Robert and so instead of sitting down he continued.</p>
<p>“With this victory no one in King’s Landing would have to fear from a dragon attack any longer. For his bravery in the face of danger I hereby renounce all claim of the Stepstones and officially recognize both Joffrey and Jon as the archipelago’s official rulers. Fuck Dorne if they complain. And fuck everyone who disagrees as well! Now drink to my son’s health! Drink and be merry! Your king commands you!”</p>
<p>A loud cheer erupted from the hall and Joffrey looked towards Jon. He hadn’t taken the speech well and his fists were balled under the table. Joffrey leaned over and whispered in his ear.</p>
<p>“Even if they serve us an uncooked crow you are not to complain. Now calm yourself before my father sees you. Fake enjoying yourself if you must. Or perhaps go to the Stark table after the first few courses. Your uncle might want to talk to you.”</p>
<p>“Yes, so that he can name me for the kinslayers that I am.” Whispered Jon back. He did do his best to relax and began eating his food from the first serving. Joffrey looked towards the Stark table and saw Lord Stark with his two daughters and his son Brandon. The lord didn’t seem happy to be here. His blasted honor must have condemned Jon by now. Maybe a visit to the table wouldn’t be happening after all.</p>
<p>Jon’s mood soured even more when Robert made a mocking toast in his honor naming him the last dragon. The hall erupted in cheer at the jape but Jon didn’t show any anger on his face. His aunt and uncle had endured much the same before they had gotten their dragons. He could endure a night of mocking himself.</p>
<p>His sleeve was tugged and the raven noticed that it was Myrcella who wished to speak to him. He leaned closer to his sister in law and waited until she gathered her courage.</p>
<p>“Did he suffer much before he died?”</p>
<p>Jon didn’t have to strain himself to figure out who this “he” was. The truth was that he himself didn’t know. He had arrived after the deed was done. Still Viserys had been taken out with a single bolt and Joffrey had left him fairly fast on the ground in the sept. Not knowing what else to do he decide to lie to her.</p>
<p>“No. Joffrey gave him a swift death. I buried him under the roots of the Old Gods.”</p>
<p>Myrcella smiled at that. Then her sorrow returned. The girl had had hopes of spending her life with Viserys who had been nothing but kind towards her. His uncle had been good at hiding his ugly side when he wished. Her next question caught him off guard.</p>
<p>“And what of Viserion? Is he a wild dragon now?”</p>
<p>Jon noticed hope in her voice and then was reminded that she was Joffrey’s sister. Should anything happen to Jon Joffrey would be more concerned about Cannibal than anything else himself. Jon sighed before answering.</p>
<p>“He is dead as well. Eaten by Sheepstealer and Cannibal.”</p>
<p>Myrcella’s face fell at the news and she looked like she was about to start crying again but a stern look from her mother forced her to control herself. Cersei was busy talking with Joffrey and Tommen was eating and not in the mood to converse with anyone.</p>
<p>That left Jon alone with his thoughts. He longed to go to the Stark table and see his cousins and uncle but the disapproving look that Lord Stark send him when he tried to get up and go to them made Jon sit down again.</p>
<p>He understood his uncle and the shame he must have felt of raising a kinslayer. But Jon knew he would be forgiven and allowed to be with his family eventually. Until then he played with his food and waited for the blasted feast to end.</p>
<p>Many lords paid homage to the king and his bastards but ignored the end of the table where the dragon riders sat. A man with Valyrian features approached them. He had a seahorse on his tunic and Jon recognized him as a member of house Velaryon.</p>
<p>The man looked disapproving of both Jon and Joffrey but he still bowed to them. Something that made Stannis Baratheon grit his teeth. He was still the liege lord of the lords of the Narrow Sea and so he didn’t like that they were all going to the end of the high table to pay homage.</p>
<p>Jon left the false pleasantries to Joffrey and just nodded at each new arrival. He wasn’t in the mood for any of this and was happy when the king finally stood up and left the feasting hall.</p>
<p>That was all the prompting the northerner needed to get up and tug Joffrey towards the dragons. They hadn’t received guest rights before the feast and so Jon didn’t want to chance sleeping in Joffrey’s former home.</p>
<p>They would miss the tourney that was to be held the next day but Jon was in no mood to watch men playing at war. Nor did he want to remain in King Robert’s presence more than necessary.</p>
<p>They flew and managed to get back to Dragon’s port just as the sun was rising. As soon as they were alone Joffrey pulled Jon aside and after checking if they were alone in the gardens he passed Jon a rolled parchment.</p>
<p>“Read, Jon. This concerns both of us.”</p>
<p>Jon sat down on one of the benches and began to read. What he found out made him worried.</p>
<p>“How could this be true when my brother was killed as a babe? And who gave you this parchment?”</p>
<p>“It was Varys, Jon. So the information his little birds had gathered must be true. Either your brother was switched with someone else during the sack of King’s Landing. Or we are dealing with a Blackfyre pretender. But his dragon is fully grown. Silverwing, Jon! His dragon is so old it should have been dead already. Another war is coming.”</p>
<p>Jon read further and got even more worried. This Aegon claimed he wanted vengeance for his aunt and uncle. That he was a trueborn son of prince Rhaegar with princess Elia and that he would bring his usurping younger brother to ruin.</p>
<p>Jon checked his arm where there were still bandages from the brownbelly’s bite. Aegon was rallying those still loyal to Daenerys and mayhap he would find support on the Stepstones too since Viserys was if not loved then at least liked by the lords of the archipelago.</p>
<p>It was one thing to dispose of Viserys, him not having an army to back his dragon had made it possible. But Aegon commanded Daenerys’ surviving unsullied. Apparently it had been enough for them that he had her coloring and a dragon to back him up to swear their allegiance.</p>
<p>Jon had heard much about the unsullied on his way to Sothoryos. They were the best army, the most disciplined, that money could buy. And Aegon had already set sail with ships from the slavers who didn’t want another Targaryen lingering in their lands.</p>
<p>“How old is this information, Joffrey?”</p>
<p>Joffrey sat by him and almost regretted killing Viserys. Viserion would have been useful now. At least their walls were prepared for a dragon attack.</p>
<p>“I have no idea. It is a miracle Varys decided to warn us at all. We need a master of whispers of our own. But first we need to check on all the islands and give them orders to shoot down any white dragon they see. Whenever he is true or a fake we need to deal with him or we might lose the Stepstones.”</p>
<p>Jon thought for a moment that he didn’t want to kill his brother. If this Aegon was indeed his older brother he would be committing an even bigger offence than when he stood by as his aunt and uncle died. But Aegon was heading to the Stepstones with vengeance on his mind.</p>
<p>The dragon rider wouldn’t spare anyone on his way to those he considered traitors to his house. And Jon’s thoughts went to the people of the Stepstones. They were his people. He had helped build their homes. They were still true to him even after he became a kinslayer.</p>
<p>For Aegon it wouldn’t be a crime to bring Fire and Blood to these people. It would be justice. And Jon couldn’t allow it. Even though he was tired from the long flight and lack of sleep he still mounted Cannibal and began searching for Aegon’s ships. Joffrey was flying slightly behind him.</p>
<p>They were halfway across from Essos when they spotted the first sails with the Targaryen banners on them. The unsullied bellow began to fire scorpion bolts at them and so Jon flew higher. He needed to find Silverwing and be done with her.</p>
<p>The white dragon was majestic and it was carrying someone on it’s back that could only be Aegon. Jon flew even higher so as to be out of reach of the scorpions and saw that Silverwing had begun to follow him up. Joffrey was burning the ships bellow and Jon left him to it.</p>
<p>No. This was something only he could do as Silverwing looked bigger than Sheepstealer. He had Cannibal let loose flames at Silverwing as soon as they were close enough but that didn’t faze the white dragon’s rider. So he must have magic in him just like how Jon, Viserys and Daenerys had.</p>
<p>That meant that the two dragons had to clash in the skies and Jon spurred Cannibal forward. Silverwing was much faster than Jon’s dragon and so avoided direct confrontation. But Cannibal had experience in hunting dragons and soon he managed to bite into the white dragon’s belly.</p>
<p>Silverwing’s scales proved too much for Cannibal to tear out any flesh and yet he wouldn’t let go. Jon aimed his bow at Aegon who did the same towards Jon.</p>
<p>With a cry of “kinslayer” Jon’s supposed brother let loose an arrow and it hit true but not where it was supposed to. Instead of getting him in the eye it struck Jon’s wounded arm. Suddenly he couldn’t hold his bow and it fell to the water below. Jon greeted his teeth and took out his sword and made Cannibal let go of Silverwing’s belly and bite her neck instead.</p>
<p>The white dragon too bit into Cannibal’s neck as the two dragons were close enough for their riders to begin clashing their swords. Jon thanked the Old Gods and the New that his wounded arm wasn’t his sword arm as Aegon proved to be no slouch with the sword.</p>
<p>For every cut Jon would land with his sword he would receive one of his own from his brother. Cannibal let out a roar and separated from Silverwing, who had blood dripping from her maul. Jon looked down and saw that Cannibal’s scales had given way to the white dragon’s teeth.</p>
<p>Risking his dragon to continue this duel was not something he wished to do and so he retreated back to the Stepstones followed by Joffrey and Aegon’s laughter.</p>
<p>Today Aegon had won but as he retreated Jon saw blood drip from Silverwing’s neck as well. Something Aegon cared not for as he was drunken on his victory. Next time Joffrey would help him against Aegon, risky as it was. But in the meantime he needed to thin Aegon’s army.</p>
<p>Cannibal flew lower and let loose flames at the ships but they were too many to count and so Jon gave up on this as well. As he flew back he noticed he recognized this area. They were close to Sothoryos and if the damages both Jon and Joffrey did to Aegon’s fleet were as great as he thought they were then Aegon would be forced to land on the jungle covered continent to make repairs.</p>
<p>That meant that Jon could make use of the volunteers that had been trained for Viserys and send them to Sothoryos to face up with Aegon’s unsullied. It would be an unfair fight. Still Aegon would have to deal with the dangers of the jungle if he wanted lumber for his ships while Jon and Joffrey’s men would be on the deforested land and ready to burn Aegon’s ships as soon as he left them unguarded or as soon as they were able.</p>
<p>For now he kept flying towards the Stepstones. He needed a maester for his arm and he knew that Joffrey must have an injury of his own since he had flown within shooting distance of the bowmen on the ship.</p>
<p>Returning home defeated left a bad taste in Jon’s mouth. Joffrey too looked angry at everything and everyone and after he visited the maester for a wound where an arrow had grazed his face he went straight to Melisandre. Jon didn’t want to know what the two were going to do but trusted Joffrey when he told him he was not going to be making another shadow assassin with the woman.</p>
<p>Sleep came after Jon too was seen to. The Targaryen had nightmares of battles lost and of Cannibal falling. After much tossing and turning he was back on Cannibal’s back and he left Joffrey behind to call the banners.</p>
<p>The flight to Sothoryos was uneventful and ships were docked at one of the continent’s bays. Jon noticed that it was in the deforested area and that to reach the jungle Aegon’s men would need to make their way across the ashes. The ships were well guarded, however, and as soon as he had been noticed he was attacked from them with both arrows and scorpion bolts.</p>
<p>Cannibal gave a roar beneath him but Jon decided not to risk it even though the ships were sitting ducks. It was broad daylight. He decided to hide in the swamps where the wyverns would be a good deterrent against Aegon’s men. Just as he was leaving he saw men run with brownbellies flying behind them and harassing them.</p>
<p>Aegon was easy to spot as he was in the front of the party and was trying to kill as many of the small wyverns with his sword as possible. He looked bloodied and Jon hoped an infection took him and his men.</p>
<p>Jon landed in one of the many swaps in the continent and Cannibal feasted on the flesh of a swamp wyvern. Then his dragon curled himself into a ball and refused to move even as insects began to buzz around them.</p>
<p>Jon dismounted his dragon and laid next to him and tried to catch some sleep. When he woke it was dark and so he chanced going back to Aegon’s ships in order to burn a few. He was expected, however, as no light came from the shore and he couldn’t see any of the ships. Deciding not to give himself away completely he made himself known only with a roar from Cannibal which was answered by Silverwing.</p>
<p>The white dragon tried to find Cannibal in the dark but the she dragon was easy to spot and avoided while Cannibal blended perfectly in the night. Jon kept flying around the camp and forcing Aegon to try and chase after him the whole night and when the first rays of the sun, and scorpion bolts begun to fly towards him, he returned back to the same swamp and had Cannibal eat his fill of the fish that hid in the murky water.</p>
<p>Jon caught some for himself with a spear he made out of wood and Cannibal made him a small fire on which to cook them on. After he was fed and watered and after checking if Cannibal too had eaten his fill Jon drifted off to sleep next to his dragon who put a wing over him to keep him warm.</p>
<p>By the time Joffrey made it to Sothoryos with the first ships of warriors months had passed and during all this time Jon kept harassing Aegon and his men. Sometimes, if he woke during daylight, he chanced flying over to his brother’s camp and attacking it with fire and leaving just as Aegon was mounting Silverwing.</p>
<p>Jon avoided direct battles between the two dragons. He was well rested when he met up with Joffrey who had landed far enough from Aegon not to be attacked immediately but close enough to be a threat. After explaining what he had done so far to Joffrey, Jon received an approving look. And then he was met with a surprise. Myrcella and Tommen were there with Joffrey and their dragons, Star and Shadow, had become big enough to ride and fight.</p>
<p>Jon send Joffrey a questioning look and quickly received an answer.</p>
<p>“I promised them they will receive Sothoryos and our full support in settling it if they earned it by fighting. And now here they are. Now how are Aegon’s men fairing with the sickness I send them?”</p>
<p>Jon looked confused. Sure, the men had become sluggish in trying to stop his attacks as of late but he had put that down to the unpredictability of his attacks. When Jon didn’t answer Joffrey continued to speak.</p>
<p>“I burned all our criminals and emptied the dungeons to lay a curse on Aegon and his men. Dragon blood might protect him from grey scale but his men would surely not be immune to it. It might spread to the men of our own army thou but they all know the risk and still choose to come. I have brought maesters and plenty of medicine that my uncle Stannis told me had worked on cousin Shireen when she was recovering from greyscale. Tommen and Myrcella will guard the maesters and their medicine with their lives and dragons while we will bring the fight to the Blackfyre.”</p>
<p>Jon looked Tommen and Myrcella up and down. Their task was perhaps the safest as they would remain near the ships and away from the fighting. But should Aegon become desperate he might launch a surprise attack on their own fleet and then the two children will have to face Silverwing by themselves. He wasn’t glad that Joffrey was so eager to risk his own flesh and blood.</p>
<p>One thing he was glad of was that Aegon wasn’t his brother in truth. He would still be a kinslayer, as Targaryen and Blackfyre were technically the same house. But at least he wouldn’t be cutting down his own older brother.</p>
<p>The men were ordered to march and Jon and Joffrey flew above them on a slower pace. To their credit the unsullied, sick or tired or both, made a spear wall and showed no fear as Aegon Blackfyre flew to the front of his troops. Ready to face both Cannibal and Sheepstealer.</p>
<p>Jon blew his horn and the men bellow him charged at the unsullied as Jon and Joffrey circled around Silverwing and began to harass her. Cannibal managed to bite a chunk of her tail off and received flames from her that got Sheepstealer instead.</p>
<p>Jon looked worriedly behind himself to check on Joffrey but Sheepstealer must have taken all the flames on his scales as the blonde not only seemed unharmed but determined to return the favor. The brown dragon’s flames didn’t do anything to either Silverwing or Aegon. Fire couldn’t kill a dragon after all.</p>
<p>A crossbow bolt went past Jon’s ear and he saw that Joffrey was loading his crossbow anew. Jon tried to get closer to Silverwing and engage Aegon in a sword fight but the other dragon rider maneuvered his dragon closer to Sheepstealer. Deeming him the smaller threat.</p>
<p>Shouts were heard from bellow and Jon noted that the unsullied spear wall wasn’t getting any thinner while their own men were falling like flies. Jon motioned to Joffrey to look bellow them and the blonde spurred Sheepstealer down to help with the killing of unsullied.</p>
<p>Aegon shouted something that was lost in the wind and tried to give chase but Cannibal was on Silverwing while his attention was on the fight bellow. As Cannibal tore more of Silverwing’s tail the dragon’s agility began to suffer for it. No longer could she do sharp turns and the final nail in the coffin was struck when Cannibal bit a large chunk off of her right wing.</p>
<p>The white dragon roared in pain and fell more than landed behind the law of unsullied. Jon saw Aegon dismounting her and taking out his sword to try and guard her with his live. This was it. The end had finally came for Aegon. Or so Jon though as something gigantic rose from the water.</p>
<p>Tentacles reached out from the water towards Cannibal and the dragon flew out of their reach. Jon had never seen such a thing. It was followed by a single ship with the sigil of house Greyjoy and the water was painted red around it. The thing was attacking both Jon and Joffrey but was leaving Silverwing alone.</p>
<p>Joffrey called the retreat with his own horn and their men ran back to their ships. Some of them didn’t make it as the tentacles reached out and grabbed the fleeing soldiers. When they reached their own ships they saw Tommen and Myrcella desperately fighting a similar monster like the one that appeared on the battlefield and with both Jon and Joffrey’s help the sea monster succumbed to dragon fire. But by then most of their ships were either destroyed or set aflame. Now they were as stranded as Aegon was.</p>
<p>A man with blue lips and an eyepatch jumped off the red ship and moved towards the wall of unsullied that separated him from the wounded dragon and it’s rider. He stopped when spears were pointed at him and waited until his kraken went back to the depths of the ocean from where it had come.</p>
<p>It took some time but the wall parted just enough for one man to pass and Euron Greyjoy made his way towards the princeling. The dragon was a sorry sight when Euron saw it. It’s tail and wing chewed up as they were. A useless broken thing. But Euron knew it could recover. No, now he needed to charm the rider and thing about the dragon later.</p>
<p>When he reached Aegon he made an extravagant bow to the winded princeling. Aegon nodded at him send some of his men for bread and salt. The bread was moldy and probably some of the last of their rations but Euron ate it anyway. Not that he cared much about guest rights. But if it could help put the princeling’s mind at ease then he would play along.</p>
<p>The young man tried to appear lordly as he thanked him for his assistance but the fear of the kraken was evident in the way the Valyrian’s eyes shifted towards the ocean every so often. It was good that the dragon rider feared the deep waters now. It would make him all the easier to mold into a proper puppet.  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 9</p>
<p>Euron feasted the princeling on the board of the Silence. Dish after dish came and went and the supposed son of Rhaegar Targaryen devoured it like he hadn’t eaten in days. Considering the size of one of the two dragons that managed to get away from his kraken it might just be the case.</p>
<p>He had blown the horn when he saw the black monstrosity but it hadn’t answered. Nor had the chewed up white one or the brown dragon. He had lost a crew member for nothing. Perhaps he needed to use the horn on a dragon without a rider but for that he needed to return to Asshai and search there. And he hadn’t had any luck the last time he tried to cross the shadow. Nor were there any dragons on Valyria.</p>
<p>If he couldn’t tame the beast then he would tame it’s rider. The princeling was easy on the eyes and full of trust that came only through desperation. Had Euron not rescued him today then the boy would have lost his dragon to the black one while the grey scale ridden unsullied burned around him.</p>
<p>Euron had heard much about how the new dragon riders were immune to fire. His curiosity had taken the best of him and he had put a candle so close to the princeling that it would have burned him had he been anyone else. But the desperate boy hadn’t even noticed as the flames licked his hand. Euron was fast to make it look like an accident and remove the candle and he was thankful that Aegon hadn’t noticed anything.</p>
<p>Euron smiled as dessert was finally served and the boy enjoyed the sweet bread slowly. Now that he wasn’t inhaling food at breakneck speed Euron decided that it was time to speak business with him.</p>
<p>“Your Grace, it gladdens me that I managed to come to your aid in your time of need. But why are you on Sothoryos at all? Don’t you know it is an untamed jungle?”</p>
<p>The princeling stopped eating and lowered his head in shame. So he was one to not like admitting his mistakes. That would make him even easier to manipulate for Euron.</p>
<p>“My brother, Jon, attacked me on my way to Westeros. He is a vile kinslayer and a usurper. And his husband is worse as he dabbles in magic! Together they killed my aunt and uncle and I will see them brought to justice for it!”</p>
<p>So the black dragon had damaged the fleet and this stupid princeling had docked at the closest shore, Euron thought to himself. There was no way for the army of unsullied to be salvaged. Euron had seen them and noticed that they had all grey scale but due to their training and discipline were holding up.</p>
<p>They would need to be used up while they were still useful or left behind in Sothoryos. No, the only thing he could salvage was a wounded dragon and a half-starved dragon rider. Euron filled a glass with shade of the evening and passed the blue liquid to the princeling.</p>
<p>Aegon looked at it with suspicion but took the glass offered without complained and sipped from it. The boy made a face but Euron just raised his eyebrows at him and motioned him to drink more and so Aegon did.</p>
<p>His lips were as blue as Euron’s as he finally emptied the glass. He began to look around himself as if seeing the cabin for the first time. He became more and more fearful with each second and suddenly stared at Euron.</p>
<p>“What have you given me?!” Aegon demanded as more and more visions were floating in his mind. He saw himself rotten on this shores. Left behind as his brother and the family he choose went back to Westeros. He saw his loyal unsullied feeding the brownbellies that plagued every lumber expedition he led. He saw Silverwing torn apart by four hungry dragons.</p>
<p>Aegon gripped his head and whimpered. A hand was placed on his shoulder and he traced it back towards it’s owner. Euron Greyjoy had moved to stand behind him.</p>
<p>“What did you see, your grace?”</p>
<p>Aegon could have sworn that there was a hint of mocking in these words but this man was his only ally. The only thing standing between Aegon and complete ruin. So he told him everything and by the end he was shaking. The man embraced him and kissed his hair gently.</p>
<p>“Hush now, your grace. Only some of it will come to pass. But you have nothing to fear for your dragon and yourself. I will bring you both to safety. All I ask in return is that when a new lord Greyjoy is chosen you be there with me at the moot and back me up with your magnificent dragon. Then house Greyjoy will be the first to back your claim up.”</p>
<p>Much as he didn’t want to Aegon stole like a thief in the night together with his dragon and as the Silence took off Silverwing swam behind it with Aegon on her back. Aegon felt shame that he was leaving his army behind. Yet another thing he blamed his younger brother for.</p>
<p>He would never forgive him. In this much he was sure. After getting the official pledge of house Greyjoy he would raid and reave with them and bring fire and blood from the Bear Islands in the north to Lannisport and the Arbor to the south. And when he finally wrestled control of the seven kingdoms from the usurper Robert Baratheon he would bring ruin to the Stepstones and make it so that no one will be able to inhabit them ever again.</p>
<p>But for now Silverwing needed to heal and Aegon needed the protection of Euron Greyjoy and his kraken.</p>
<p>Horns blew in the night as the first line of unsullied neared. The first horn was heard as Joffrey, Jon, Tommen and Myrcella were in their pavilion and arguing on what to do next.</p>
<p>The younger dragon riders wanted to charge no matter the cost. Sure that the other kraken would go down at the combined onslaught of four dragons just like the one which attacked them here had.</p>
<p>Joffrey wanted to straight up leave after noticing that some of their men had grey scale. Only the four of them and their dragons. Jon had agreed that they couldn’t bring back their volunteer army back to the shores of the Stepstones as that would only spread the disease.</p>
<p>Still he offered to stay behind and deal with his “brother” as Joffrey, Tommen and Myrcella evacuate back to safety. Joffrey hadn’t liked this at all as he didn’t know if Jon wouldn’t catch grey scale himself if he staid and had been shouting and pointing fingers for hours until the four of them heard the first horns.</p>
<p>The sound was what made Joffrey stop and the four exited the pavilion to see what was happening. Even from there the sound of marching feet could be heard. Their dragons were roasting near the dead kraken. Fully fed from it’s flesh and tired from the fight.</p>
<p>The beast of the deep had done some damage on them during the fight and now the only thing they could do was slowly get up from the shore and begin to walk towards their riders. Not one of the four dragons tried to fly as the kraken’s tentacles had aimed at their wings and the torn up skin on them prevented the beasts from taking to the skies.</p>
<p>Their riders knew that left well enough alone they would heal in time. The dead kraken that had done so much damage enough to sustain them until then. But until they healed the remaining ships were the only thing that could carry anyone out of Sothoryos.</p>
<p>The first line of unsullied marched up to the dragons and encircled them. The mad and brave beyond words former slaves had taken the final order of Aegon Targaryen to become dragon slayers or die trying to heart and the first of them broke the line.</p>
<p>A shout in broken Valyrian was heard and it was joined by the cry of “Daenerys” before the first unsullied threw himself at Sheepstealer. He was burned to crisp by the dragon but that seemed to make the other unsullied even more courageous as they encircled the dragon that had taken their breaker of chains from them.</p>
<p>The next line of marching unsullied soon followed and, mad with grey scale as they were, they joined the fray like they knew they were going to die anyway. And it was the truth. Sheepstealer was being harassed on all sides but Star and Shadow came to his rescue and made a corridor with their flames for the dragon to reach them.</p>
<p>Cannibal hid all three behind himself and let loose his flames at the unsullied who scattered and then regrouped. An unsullied captain pointed at Cannibal with his spear and that was all that was needed for the incoming army to change their target.</p>
<p>And that was what the four dragon riders saw when they made it outside. Jon sprinted towards the dragons without a care for his own safety. Without a rider the dragons might as well be blind and the unsullied were more than he could count.</p>
<p>He was followed close behind by Tommen and Myrcella who were worried for their own mounts. The unsullied noticed them even in the dark and an unsullied wall was formed between the dragon riders and their dragons. Jon took out his sword, ready to defend Joffrey’s siblings. And he shouted at Cannibal, who was still protecting the other three dragons from the army, to make his way to him.</p>
<p>The wall, seeing that their opponents were people and not beasts, closed up in a circle around the three and Jon could hear how Myrcella gave out a whimper and Tommen give a sharp inhale. They were brave but they shouldn’t have followed him. Alone he might not have been noticed and maybe he might have gotten back to Cannibal.</p>
<p>Jon wanted to assure the two children that all will be well and that he would protect them but he knew he could not. Cannibal, sensing that his rider was in need, started to make his way over to Jon. The unsullied who encircled the three dragon riders, seeing the danger that the black dragon posed, began to become more violent in their attacks and Jon could barely keep up with them. An unsullied got Myrcella in the stomach with his spear and the girl cried out and fell on the ground.</p>
<p>That seemed to snap Tommen out of his own stupor and he trusted his sword into the unsullied in an attempt to save his sister. His strike was slow and weak and the unsullied still dodged out of habit, leaving his spear in the girl.</p>
<p>Tommen put both his hands around it as Myrcella began to cry in earnest and he began to pull it out. The spear didn’t come out easily and blood was gushing out of the wound like a fountain when it was finally out. Tommen crouched and pulled Myrcella into his arms, not wanting her to be alone in what he knew could be her final moments.</p>
<p>And just as all hope was lost Cannibal finally managed to reach Jon. The Targaryen didn’t waste any time in saying Dracarys and the wall of unsullied was reduced to ash before his eyes. The three other dragons had followed Cannibal and the unsullied doubled their efforts in trying to get to the dragon riders but it was too late. Even Myrcella managed to mount her Star, wounded as she was, and she too was giving the command for flame in a voice so weak it was barely a whisper. But Star heard and followed the command regardless.</p>
<p>Sheepstealer broke away from the other dragons and half flying, half walking, made his way to the mercenary camp where Joffrey waited for him. Some of the unsullied had climbed on his back but his scales were so thick he could barely feel as their spears made an attempt to pierce them.</p>
<p>Once the brown dragon had reached camp Joffrey ordered him to turn his head towards his back and bathe himself in flames. There was a look of confusion in the dragon’s eyes but he did as commanded regardless and the unsullied who weren’t fast enough to jump from his back were burned alive.</p>
<p>Those that survived tried to encircle Joffrey but Sheepstealer gave a roar and began to grab them with his teeth, throw them in the air, and then eat them whole. As the final unsullied was dealt with it was just then that Joffrey finally mounted his dragon and made his way to the three others.</p>
<p>The volunteers, remembering their defeat at the hands of the unsullied from before, remained by the ships and some even boarded them and began to sail away from the continent.</p>
<p>Joffrey saw all this from the top of his dragon and cursed. He thought for a moment to make Sheepstealer swim after the deserters and burn them alive on their ships but a scream from the other dragons took his mind off his anger and worry replaced it.</p>
<p>He didn’t care for his siblings. He never had before and wouldn’t start now. But Jon was another matter altogether.  He couldn’t just leave him to fight alone with only two children as backup. He didn’t know why but worry gripped him at the thought that some unsullied would climb Cannibal’s back unnoticed and attack Jon while the northerner wasn’t paying attention.</p>
<p>His Jon who agreed with him and actually listened when Joffrey had something to say rather than dismiss his ideas like everyone else did. And it were those ideas that landed them in this situation. Joffrey felt guild and let it fuel his anger as he had Sheepstealer charge at the unsullied and let loose his flames at them.</p>
<p>The unsullied didn’t stop attacking until the last one had fallen. Such was their discipline. By the end of the battle Myrcella could barely hold herself on the dragon’s back. Her dress was drenched in blood and her dragon hadn’t feared any better as when the unsullied noticed that the wings were vulnerable they had begun to put holes in them.</p>
<p>Myrcella’s golden dragon was like a beacon in the night and received the most attacks. It was Star that stepped on the last unsullied and finished their desperate charge. With her last strength Myrcella made Star lay low so that the girl could get to the land.</p>
<p>As soon as the golden dragon did so Myrcella fell from the beast’s back and crawled until she laid next to it. Tommen was the first to reach her and he cradled his sister in his arm. He was soon followed by a worried Jon and an angry Joffrey.</p>
<p>Tommen looked at his brother and for once he wasn’t afraid of him and his anger prevailed.</p>
<p>“You coward! You let us charge alone into the wall of unsullied and Cella is going to die because of it. Look at what you did!”</p>
<p>Tommen removed his hand from Myrcella’s wound but there was only annoyance in Joffrey’s eyes. That was until he rolled up the sleeve of his tunic and took out a knife. Melisandre had thought him many things. And to be honest he didn’t want to waste his blood on these ungrateful brats. But he knew that Jon would never forgive him if he let Myrcella die and so Joffrey cut his arm and began to chant as the first drops fell on Myrcella’s wound.</p>
<p>It wouldn’t be enough to heal her. But it would be enough to keep her afloat until they got her to a maester. Joffrey had no idea if her organs were damaged. The maester back in King’s Landing had tried to teach him about anatomy in order to prepare him for sword fighting but Joffrey hadn’t paid attention and had his mother chase away the man when he became too boring to bear. Now Joffrey regretted his lack of knowledge.</p>
<p>The bleeding stopped but Myrcella still looked pale. Tommen was fast in giving her water from his water skin in an effort to make her feel better. Joffrey tore his sleeve and wrapped the fabric around his wounded arm.</p>
<p>There was no way that they could stay here on the continent. They needed to retreat back to the Stepstones and guard their dragons with the loyal men there. Joffrey spared Sheepstealer a glance and saw that both he and Cannibal had fared better than the younger dragons.</p>
<p>His sister couldn’t obviously ride her own dragon home and Jon looked on the verge of exhaustion. Joffrey for a moment considered saddling Tommen with Myrcella but a look at Shadow told him that the dragon could barely carry his brother, let alone a second passenger. So with a sour expression he bend down and picked up his sister bridal style.</p>
<p>His wounded arm shock slightly at the strain but he didn’t want to show any weakness in front of Tommen and so he carried Myrcella to Sheepstealer. The climb with her in his arms was difficult but he managed. He placed her in front of himself and did his best to not touch the barely closed wound.</p>
<p>No words were needed as Sheepstealer began to swim back towards his home and was being followed by three other dragons. The volunteers that didn’t desert for lack of ships yelled and pleaded after the dragon riders but Joffrey didn’t pay them any attention.</p>
<p>There would be more meat to throw in the grinder. And the continent was ridden with grey scale now. Once his siblings were better Joffrey promised himself that he would return with Jon and see who survived. For what other choice did the volunteers had but to survive in the jungle?</p>
<p>For now Joffrey kept quiet as Myrcella whimpered from pain in his arms. He remained silent for days with his silence being broken only so that he would bleed on her wound while chanting.</p>
<p>It took them far much more time to get back to the Stepstones swimming than flying and by that time Myrcella had fallen unconscious despite Joffrey shaking her every so often in order to keep her awake because he had heard once that heavily wounded people needed to be kept conscious.</p>
<p>As they finally managed to crawl out of the sea and onto an island in the archipelago Joffrey almost lost all desire to take care of his sister and forced the lord of the island to take her off his arms and bring her to the nearest maester.</p>
<p> The lord was a young man that looked like he was from the Riverlands, what with his red hair and blue eyes. The man cradled Myrcella gently and ran as carefully as he could back towards the keep with his charge. He knew that it would be his head if the maester didn’t manage to see to the princess fast enough.</p>
<p>With his sister deposited in someone else’s hands Joffrey looked back towards Tommen and Jon who were both dismounting their own dragons. His brother still looked like he was contemplating kinslaying and Jon looked half asleep on his feet.</p>
<p>Joffrey went to his husband and let him lean on him and with an arm securely wrapped around Jon the three began the long trek towards the castle. People remembered them from the time the village was being build and the dragon riders received a royal welcome with children full of adoration running after them and throwing flowers at them.</p>
<p>It was a welcome worthy of victors. And Joffrey supposed that they had done most of the work that they had set off to do. Aegon didn’t have an army anymore and was either dead or under someone else’s mercy. But with his sister hurt and his brother angry at him Joffrey felt defeated.</p>
<p>At least Jon was too tired to judge him. Joffrey didn’t know what he would have done if Jon found all the effort Joffrey put into this expedition wanting.</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 10</p>
<p>Myrcella was slowly getting better under the care of the maester. The old man had said that whatever Joffrey had done had saved the girl’s life. In which Joffrey had no doubt. Instead of thanking him Tommen became even more closed off and wouldn’t leave his sister’s side.</p>
<p>Jon recovered quickly from his exhaustion and tended to the dragons but their wings were a mess. The maester had told him that all they could do for the dragons was to give them rest and so Jon and Joffrey took the first ship back to Dragon’s port with their dragons swimming behind them.</p>
<p>They left the two children to recover on the island, but not before giving an order for the new lord not to let any Greyjoy ships dock at it. The riverlander looked nervous being entrusted with the care for the prince and princess but didn’t dare to deny his duty. Even flightless four dragons could level his village and castle with ease and so he vowed to care for Tommen and Myrcella as if they were his own children.</p>
<p>Joffrey didn’t care much for the vow but Jon thanked the man. Back at the capital of the Stepstones a raven after raven was send to the lords of Westeros and to the free cities informing them of a Blackfyre pretender who had escaped Sothoryos on a Greyjoy ship.</p>
<p>Most ravens weren’t answered. Neither Jon nor Joffrey were very popular with the lords of Westeros as they were out of favor with the king and so the only letters they had received back were from Stannis Baratheon writing to them that Shireen was not going to come and fight for them and from Robert himself telling them to clean their own mess and fast because if even one village was set aflame by dragon fire he would purge the world of all dragon spawn.</p>
<p>Rumor had it that that was the last straw for the Queen and when she found out the content of the letter she left King’s Landing and went straight to the island where Joffrey had told her Tommen and Myrcella were.</p>
<p>Without the Queen to disapprove Robert’s bastards could finally breathe easily and they became the realm’s delight. They were humble, one and all, thanks to their origin and so they were easy prey for the courtiers who were always vying for favors.</p>
<p>Without Cersei there Robert felt like something was missing but he wouldn’t admit it. He filled his time with his children, who feared fire as they should and didn’t seem to want dragons. As they should. With each passing day the thought of Joffrey ever inheriting his throne became more and more distasteful.</p>
<p>Joffrey was spoiled and rotten and a dragon spawn besides. If he let him inherit it would be as if he resurrected Rhaegar somehow and gave him back his throne. No, Robert thought to himself as he watch Gendry practice in the yard with his war hammer, there were better heirs to be named.</p>
<p>The very same day Gendry Waters became Gendry Baratheon, crown prince of the Seven Kingdoms and all the other titles that came with it. Tywin Lannister called the banners as soon as he found out that his grandchildren were to be exiles on the Stepstones and his daughter might be soon set aside. And the old lion wrote just one letter before beginning his march on the Crown lands. A letter to Eddard Stark who, after seeing the festivities for the kinslaying that came to pass, had gone home to Winterfell.</p>
<p>The letter reached the Warden of the North just as the Tyrells were joining the Lannisters in an open rebellion. Their hopes to still make Margaery Queen through Tommen growing stronger by the day.</p>
<p>Ned read the letter in the God’s wood and crumbled it in his hands. The friend who he had fought for had set aside his own son in favor for another. Had ended the claim of his nephew on the Iron Throne through both marriage and blood.</p>
<p>The Stark lord knew that Jon had done much to be underserving of the throne. He should have spent his days fighting on the Wall or in Essos. Committing kinslaying was not what he was brought up to do. Yet he was still the boy that used to call him Father in private. The boy that shared a nursery with Eddard’s own firstborn. The son of his dear sister.</p>
<p>If he didn’t march now then Jon would simply be named a dragon spawn by Robert and killed in due time. Eddard’s heart clenched at the thought that he could lose the last piece of his sister. Still he went to Catelyn and gave her the letter. She surprised him by throwing it in the fireplace and staring him down with her own accusing eyes.</p>
<p>“For years you let me believe that the boy was a stain on your honor and yet he was the greatest achievement that came from it. Family, duty, honor. These are my house’s words. The boy is family, your nephew! It is your duty to protect him from the king! Your honor as a Warden of the North demands it! Leave me in Winterfell with the children and call the banners, Ned. Let us both wash away the shame of treating a prince like a bastard.”</p>
<p>If even Catelyn wanted him to go to war for his nephew then he would accept the boy’s flaws as they were and defend his claim as he should have from the start. Ravens flew from Winterfell and northern lords flocked to the castle. They were all furious that the king had made sure one of their own wouldn’t seat the Iron Throne and wanted justice.</p>
<p>It took the lords a week to gather and in the commotion no one heard about the strange rumors of the dead walking among the living beyond the Wall, not that they would have believed it even if they paid attention.</p>
<p>Robb tried to refuse to stay behind and guard the North but Ned showed him the letter warning them of the Blackfyre and his Greyjoy allies and told his son that his task might even be harder than his own. The prospect of defending his home from a dragon made Robb exited and so he didn’t need further encouragements to stay.</p>
<p>The lords left just as the first pleas for help began to reach the northern keeps and castles. The black brothers were alone and so they tried to reach out to all the warring factions in hopes that even one of them would answer. Castles were closed up and Castle Black became the only defended castle against the dead things that had killed off the wildlings and launched an attack after attack at the gates but never at the wall itself. Even though there were rotting Giants among them.</p>
<p>Whispers began to haunt the dreams of the surviving crows. They all knew the promises by heart and looked at each other in suspicion so much so that the old bear had ordered his most trusted to guard the gates from their own men so that none was tempted to open them to the dead.</p>
<p>But Mormont knew that it was only a matter of time before the lack of food and the nightmares that plagued the survivors of the other castles would prevail and one or many would slip by his watch and open the gates. He suddenly felt very old but persevered. If he didn’t then who would?</p>
<p>Back on the Stepstones everyone knew of the war that raged in Westeros over their two kings and they all prayed that it didn’t reach their shores. House Baratheon and the Stormlands had answered their king’s call with Renly leading a host towards the Crownlands and surprising everyone he even had a victory against the Tyrell host and captured his former squire Loras, who had been leading the vanguard while his brother Garlan hadn’t been fast enough to come to his aid.</p>
<p>The Tyrells knew that Loras was safe with Renly, but their losses had been great after the battle and since then they stopped holding tourneys and did their best to try and link up with the Lannister host. But the stormlanders were always there to block their path. Renly stopped his attacks when Tywin Lannister lead his vanguard against him and drove him back. Thus forcing the youngest Baratheon brother to march straight for the Crown lands in an attempt to outmarch the two armies and the northern one that was advancing slowly through the Riverlands.</p>
<p>Stannis had taken great convincing from his brother to join on the Baratheon side. His own daughter was a “dragon spawn” in Robert’s eyes and so was in danger but Stannis knew Joffrey and knew full well that the spoiled brat would demand all that belonged to his father’s house for the slight of no one speaking in his favor.</p>
<p>After Stannis received assurances that his daughter would be the only dragon rider tolerated in all the realm he called his own banners and soon he made a blockade on the Stepstones. If the two kings wanted to join the fray then they would need to do so on dragon back. Stannis knew that the dragons in question were in a sorry state thanks to the Blackfyre who was attacking the northern coasts from the sea on a wounded white dragon and backed by a kraken.</p>
<p>So far the blockade had served to sever all trade towards Essos but Stannis knew of the glass houses and while his own men ate salted meats and moldy breads the people of the archipelago didn’t suffer any hunger.</p>
<p>He had tried more than once to attack the smaller islands but the men manning the walls protecting the villages and towns were seasoned veterans from the former Golden Company and well fed. Stannis felt as if he was back in Storm’s end and dining on rats but he knew that he couldn’t let his daughter back his attacks as he had seen the scorpions that lined each and every wall.</p>
<p>So far Shireen had flown only for the joy of it and didn’t have any experience in a fight. Stannis had send her to assist Renly and her dragon had helped to delay the marching armies enough so that Renly could reach King’s Landing and have his men man the walls along with the gold cloaks.</p>
<p>What the younger Baratheon saw when he entered the capitol made his stomach turn. Heads were placed on spikes and he recognized some of them from seeing them as guards for the Queen. His brother and king had restrained himself enough to throw Jaime Lannister in the dungeons rather than execute him with the other Lannister men. Now the question remained what would Tywin Lannister do and would he bow down to save his son or would he keep pushing forward for his grandson’s claim.</p>
<p>The siege of King’s Landing began on the fifth day after Renly’s arrival. Shireen had tried to brake it by herself but the Lannister host had brought scorpions and she had become scared and flew to the Dragon pit with her Snowstorm. Her uncle had raged at her and called her useless and banned her from the castle.</p>
<p>With each day the people of the city starved more and more as the Tyrells had begun to feast with the Lannister and Stark armies bellow the walls. Yet no one dared to make the first move. Tywin Lannister didn’t dare sack the city again as he knew where his favorite child was. Eddard Stark was restless but he too didn’t want to waste his men at the gates.</p>
<p>An attempt was made to open the gates arranged by Pycelle, who was as always Tywin Lannister’s creature. But the stormlanders got wind of it and Pycelle was thrown to his death from the top of the Mud gate. Many more, from servants to courtiers, were put in a suspicious light and received the same fate. It was then that Robert finally realized that he had been surrounded by Lannisters. Only Jaime remained in the holding cells and so Tywin kept refusing to charge.</p>
<p>Back on the Stepstones Joffrey was restlessly waiting for Sheepstealer’s wings to heal so that he could burn his uncle’s ships and brake the blockade. He had received news from his mother that his sister could get up for short periods of time and walk around but he didn’t care much.</p>
<p>He did share the news with Jon and his husband’s face had lit up and Joffrey was bombarded with questions about Myrcella. In the end Joffrey became so agitated that he gave his mother’s letter to Jon to read and left the room. As always Cannibal proved to be the better dragon in everything and his wings healed faster than Sheepstealer’s.</p>
<p>The blockade scattered as soon as the news of the dragon’s health reached it under Stannis’s command. But the stragglers were burned to a crisp and Jon chased the fleet all the way back to Dragonstone. What he did next had to be done but it would be his greatest regret for the rest of his life.</p>
<p>Jon made Cannibal rampage on the island and repeated the fate of Harrenhal with Dragonstone. All those who had hidden in the castle were burned alive in it’s walls and the surrounding villages as well. There was no port left for another fleet to dock. No houses to shelter an army. Jon looked down at the destruction he had done and it made him think that if his own dragon was back on his feet then so was Silverwing.    </p>
<p>The last he heard the white dragon was terrorizing the northern shores but still came swimming from the sea. He couldn’t allow Silverwing to fly again. For once he felt like his anger hat reached a boiling point.</p>
<p>He had been happy in the Stepstones before this madness began. Now he needed to guard his little piece of heaven by battling on all sides and far away from it. Jon flew towards the North and soon saw the smoldering villages on the coast. There was a host with Stark banners bellow and so Jon landed only to see his brother, no, his cousin, Robb leading it towards one of the few undamaged villages on the coast.</p>
<p>Robb was happy to see him and didn’t blame him for all the destruction but Jon felt guilty all the same. He knew he didn’t have enough time and so he was back in the air and flying towards the Iron Islands where he knew that Aegon was hiding from him.</p>
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